Infected

Chapter 10

“What the hell!” I shouted at Jace as he pulled down his sleeve. “Why did you lie to me? Why would you endanger us all?” I kept yelling at him letting all my anger into my words. “Austin, calm down. He was just scared is all…” Linda said calmly next to me. I know I’m overreacting for a thing that didn’t even happen to me, but think of the affects it would have on us all if Jace never told us; and that’s what he planned to do.

                “Jace, would you have told us sooner or later?” I said through clenched teeth. I really didn’t have a reason to be angry with him anymore because it was his life in danger, not ours; yet. “Well,” Jace started to say avoiding eye contact with any of us. “I was just, you know, planning to run away and stuff…I just wanted to live the last few moments with some friends.”

                I felt guilt immediately afterwards, I know that if I were bitten I would want to spend the last few moments I had with my friends. “I’m sorry. I’m really really sorry, Jace…” I stated to Jace, going up to him and hugging him. “I’m really sorry this happened to you.” I whispered to him. I felt Jace hugging me back and I felt my shoulder going wet. Jace was crying and I’m over here feeling sorry for him. I’m a horrible friend.

                “Hey! Cheer up!” I said pulling him away from me so I could look directly at his face. I saw that he was still crying so with my thumb I wiped a tear away. “You want to do something!? We can do anything you want to do right now!”

                “That’s thoughtful Austin, but all I want to do right now is to be surrounded by my friends.” I nodded in with a thoughtful expression on my face. I didn’t really know if he considered all us friends or not because we’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks but I felt close enough to him to feel that I’ve known him all my life.

                “Jace,” I started off saying putting sincerity into my words. “I’m going to be here with you until the end. I will treasure the final moments we have together. I will remember you always…you’re like a brother to me.”

                I saw Jace start crying again but instead of sadness in his eyes there was only joy and happiness. I was overwhelmed with happiness as well because I knew, at this very moment in time, that whatever is going to happen in the next few hours, I will never ever forget Jace.

                I felt hands on my shoulder and I turned around to see it was Linda. I knew what she wanted so I let her do it. I backed away from Jace and watched Linda hug him and whisper something into his ear in which he nodded in return. Alyson and Briana were in hysterics because they cared for Jace since they’ve known him longer.

                Parker, as usual, was silent and not showing any emotion whatsoever. I guess Jace didn’t really care that Parker didn’t hug him or support him or something because he didn’t pressure Parker or anything.

                Jace stayed crying for a little while longer but he stopped crying and hid the bite marks under the sleeved shirt. I asked him if he was alright and if we could keep on walking because I was starting to get the creeps about staying in one place for too long. He nodded and we continued with our original plan of going under the bridge.

                I stayed in the back holding Jace to support him while the girls were crowded around us looking all vulnerable and everything. Parker was in the front leading us to our safety since he was the most experienced in all of this.

                While holding Jace, a thought occurred to me. I really didn’t know anybody here and yet I considered them all my friends.