Wanted

8

Red

Three days had passed since our meet, which meant four days had passed since my encounter with the 'mystery attacker'. That's the name I've acquired for him over the past few days.

Buck had gotten in contact with me the day after we met. He seemed to always be willing to communicate when I called him, even if we weren't discussing the matter at hand.

My phone rang, waking me from my daydream. I quickly glanced at the screen, hoping it was Buck, but it wasn't.

"Alex, hey," I said into the phone, happy she couldn't see my disappointment, "what's up?"

"Red," she mumbled in a horror-struck mutter, "where are you?"

I sat up, "are you okay? What's going on?"

She sniffled, something being shuffled around on the other line, "I need you to lock your doors."

"Why, Alex?"

"Just do it, you're not safe! I'll come over later after my shift."

"But Hopper's Diner is closed today.....how can you be at work?"

There was no answer.

Something wasn't right.

"Hello?" I slightly yelled as I stood up, "Alex? Tell me you're safe right no-

There was a loud bang, followed by a cacophony. I panicked and yelled into the phone.

"ALEX! ALEX ANSWER ME,WHERE ARE YOU?"

My heart beat accelerated, then I heard it. An explosion sent the other line dead. Alex was completely unresponsive.

Tears ran down my cheek as I ran to my front door to lock it. I shut all my windows and even locked them.

My family was the first set of people that ran through my mind. Everything happened so quickly. I was already sat at my kitchen table to call my mom.

She answered after the first ring.

"Mom?" I sniffed, "are you okay?"

I heard my dad's voice, yelling at someone. The other person I assume being yelled at was a police officer, because he kept calling him "officer Bentley."

"Mom, what's going on?"

"I don't know, but your dad and I are going to find out-

"No mom, stay inside and lock all of your doors! Please don't go anywhere."

"Alright," she said, "but I need to know...where are you?"

"I'm h-

Knock

"Hold on mom," I said into the phone, "I'll be back."

I gripped my gun off the coffee table as I started a steady walk with my gun pointed in front of me.

I peeked outside the window to see a man stood in a hat. I felt my heart skip a beat when I realized it was Buck.

I quickly unlocked and pulled the door open. He trod inside, taking off his hat. A gun was at his waist, but he wasn't wearing his police uniform.

"Buck?" I muttered, closing the door and locking it.

"We gotta go."

My hands were the already at my waist as I stared at the tall man.

"What are you talking about?"

He turned to face me, eyes filled with tears that were too proud to fall down his sad face. My heart bent as I looked at his downcast demeanor.

He sniffed, quickly doing away of the threatening tears.

"Everyone's changing."

"What?"

His voice came out like a choked cry, "my uncle changed-everyone's just...changing. I went to call you, but it seems your line was busy."

"Yeah," I mumbled, pulling on my hair softly, "my mom and dad were asking where I was."

The expression on his face sent a chill down my spine instantly. He looked out the window, pulling out out his keys.

"You didn't tell them where you were, right?"

"Buck," I touched his arm, "stop for a minute. Do you mind telling me what's going on?"

"The government accidentally released some sort of virus or something. I saw them do it, and they know."

I looked at him in bewilderment.

He continued, "and now that it's out in the public, people are getting sick and dying.....but not entirely."

The news I was receiving made me remember my parents were probably still on the line, waiting for me to give them my location.

"Should I tell them where I am?" I asked, holding up my phone.

Buck shot me a worried look, before taking the phone from me. "I need to speak to them."

I handed him the phone reluctantly. As soon as it was in his hand, he spoke into it.

"Hello?" He spoke, "are you there?"

His face twisted into a range of expressions; worry, confusion, fear.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling on his arm, "what's she saying?"

Buck slowly removed the phone from his ear, giving me a nervous glance.

Tears stung my eyes, "what?"

He simply shook his head, looking to the ground in defeat.
"I'm sorry.."