All Is Lost

6.

Vanessa purposely dragged her feet behind Jillian who fiddled with the rope binds.

Both girls opened their mouth in a shared 'O' at the daunting building each soldier was birthed from. A vine with thorns and roses danced at the top of their collarbones, all the way down past their waist. It was their signature tattoo, the one thing that kept the gang together. 

They marched the girls under UV lamps, testing them for the virus. The darkness provided Vanessa some protection from the lights as she passed under, gritting her teeth and quieting her groans as they touched her bare back. Blood rushed to her head and she felt lightheaded as she brushed against the metal wiring of the doors. They were laced with genetically-modified sunlight and she grimaced.

"Eyes up, miss. We don't want to hurt you, only ask a few questions." The soldier behind her mumbled. "Then you can decide to stay or go."

Vanessa mumbled incoherent words to him and suddenly he was choking, throwing up blood that appeared as if he'd been dead for years. It was black, as dark as the rotten life source within the rabids.

She reached out for him and accidentally touched his bloodied hand, drawing it to her mouth and savoring what might be her last taste of the liquid she craved.

Soldiers rushed to the dying man and dragged him away on a stretcher, removing his dog tags and leather jacket before dumping his barely-breathing corpse through a chute.

"What did you do, Miss?" The men and woman around Vanessa questioned her.

She just said 'nothing', over and over. And finally they shoved her and Jillian right into an office. It was plain with one ghastly venus fly trap by the window. A muscular version of a college freshman she knew, leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles like a disrespectful teenager.

"Vanessa, so lovely to see you again. I knew you'd find a way to survive the explosion." He brushed his hand along her chin and she whacked his grabby hand away with the one she managed to free from the rope binds. "You've changed."

"You know this guy?" Jillian asked as he tried to fondle her too. 

"Unfortunately." Vanessa sighs. "He was....or, is my ex-boyfriend's younger brother."

"Speaking of my brother, how is he?" He teased her.

"Dead." Vanessa spat. "He got what he deserved."

"Yes, I suppose he did." He paused. "Guards! Take these girls to the suites and have them choose a room."

The guards man-handled her and Jillian, causing the brunette pain as she stumbled up the multiple flights of stairs. 

"Welcome to the suites. Unfortunately due to the number of inhabitants here, you two will have to share." He eyed her form before shutting the door behind her.

"So what now?" Jillian limped to the couch and ripped off her bandaging.

"Stay for a few days, stock up on supplies, then get back on the road." Vanessa replied, re-changing the wound for the third time, ignoring the ferocious hunger pangs in her stomach. "Let's get a snack. I'm starving."