The Contaminated

Chapter 1

My eyes flew open. My heart was pounding. My body was tense. It was still dark out, but the fire had died. Something was wrong. I took the knife from my bag. I gripped it in my hand and was ready to attack.

There was a rustling outside my tent.

The flap to my tent opened. I attacked before I could process who it was. Cass grabbed my arm, being careful to avoid touching my skin. "Whoa, it's just me."

I pulled my arm away and looked at him annoyed. "You scared the shit out of me, Cass." I said, my body still tense. "What is it?"

Cass came into the tent fully and sat in front of me. "Ethan thinks we need to move everyone early." He said. "He just woke up with the feeling again."

"Again?" I asked. "When did he first feel this?"

"Earlier today, just before we set up camp."

I nodded slightly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Cass sighed. "He wasn't confident in the prediction."

"And?"

Cass looked away. "We've been pushing them for days, Zi. They need rest."

"Resting will mean nothing if we get captured." I said. "Ethan is more confident now, right?"

"Yeah, he doesn't doubt it."

"Alright," I sighed. "Let's wake them up and move out."

We continued walking along the river. The river led directly to the countryside, the only safe place left for us. We had been hiding in the city for years, but too many safehouses were being found and raided by soldiers.

I looked around our group to do a quick head count. There were only eleven of us. We had been together since the beginning when our town was contaminated. Our town was one of the first to be affected.

We weren't the only survivors, but we were the only ones smart enough to not trust the government. Once we heard that scientists were going to come to study us, Cass and I grouped up the people willing to leave and left.

We went to the city because it was easier to hide among all of the people. But then the countryside was declared a demilitarized zone. Since the safehouses were no longer safe, the countryside was the only place left where we could go.

I focused my eyesight. I saw the wall in the distance. "I see it." I said to Cass, who had been walking next to me. "We're actually gonna make it."

I looked at Cass. I could see his smile in the darkness. "Come on," Cass called to the group. "We're almost there."

Ten minutes later, we were standing in front of the wall. I studied the wall. It was about fifteen feet high with metal security spikes angled towards us on the top. It wasn't going to be easy to get over, but I was determined.

I stretched as I walked away from the wall. I hadn't made a jump like that in a while.

"You ready?" Cass asked following me.

I nodded. "Once I'm up, boost Sera. We'll do Ethan and Alana first, then major supplies. After that, everyone else. If we have time, then we'll do the remaining supplies."

"Got it." Cass walked to the others as I walked further away.

I turned and faced the wall. I took a deep breath in and centered myself. I couldn't be distracted. There were too many lives on the line. I focused on my breathing and my ability to run and jump.

I let out the breath and started running. I increased my speed rapidly until I was at the speed that would be needed to boost the jump. I was about eight feet away from the wall when I pushed off the ground and jumped towards the wall.

I grabbed the bottom of one of the security spikes. I lifted my other arm and grabbed onto another. I focused my strength and pulled myself up. I swung my legs up and looped them around the bar so I could hang from my legs.

I hung upside down and motioned for the others to start. Cass and Ethan boosted Sera. I grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She grabbed another spike with her free hand and pulled herself up. She positioned herself inbetween the spikes on the top of the wall.

I grabbed Ethan's arm and pulled him up. Sera took his free hand and pulled him the rest of the way. As she helped Ethan down the other side, I helped Alana up. Cass handed me the supply bags. I gave them to Sera, who then gave them to Ethan and Alana.

Once the major supplies we transferred, Cass helped boost the remaining people. We only had two left when I heard the army in the distance. My grip faltered slightly. The person I was holding slipped down.

I caught their hand and pulled them up. I passed them off to Sera and looked at Cass. He could tell what I had heard by the way I looked. He nodded to himself. Cass immediately pushed the last person up. I handed them to Sera. I motioned for Cass to hand me the supplies.

On the third tradeoff of supplies, the first gunshot was fired. I grabbed the bag from Cass. He turned towards the direction of the gunfire. Sera looked at me with worried eyes as I handed her the bag.

I pulled myself up and looked over the side at the others. "Ethan," I called. Ethan came over and looked up at me. "I want you to get the group ready to leave. Continue following the river, the safehouse should be about a mile away. Tell the people that we sent you. I'm counting on you to get them there."

Ethan nodded. "You're not coming with us, are you?"

I shook my head. "We'll put you guys in too much danger. They'll leave you alone and follow us."

"Be safe."

I managed a slight smile.

Sera looked at me. "I'm not leaving you." She said. "We're not splitting up again."

"Sera, please." I said. "Just go with them."

"No." She said firmly. "You're my sister. I don't want to lose you."

I sighed. "Fine," I said. "Stay close."

I hung from one of the spikes and then dropped to the ground. Sera did the same. I scanned the area. Cass was surrounded by a few soldiers. There were two on the ground unconscious. Cass noticed us. I could see his anger, but it helped him. Three of the soldiers around him stumbled and fell.

"Come on," I said, motioning for Sera to follow me.

I started running away from the confrontation. I knew that Cass could get away on his own. I ran towards the nearest street. I heard a soldier yell and then a gunshot. I ran just below my top speed so that Sera wasn't being left behind.

I focused my sight. I could see a man in a driveway walking to his car. I told Sera my plan and ran ahead. The man noticed me coming and panicked. I grabbed the keys from his hand and pushed him away.

I hopped into the car and quickly turned it on. Sera caught up and jumped into the backseat. I pulled out of the driveway and drove away. Sera moved up into the passenger seat and put her seatbelt on.

Sera let out a breath. "What about Cass?" She asked quietly.

"He'll make it." I said.

"How do you know?"

"Because I know the extent of his power."

Sera looked at me for a moment before sighing and looking out the window. "Where are we gonna go?"

"The city, and for where in the city, I'll need to think about it."