One Survivor

34 'Can't take the pain'

"Nice" Ava laughed as the twenty-six-year-old threw the tennis ball back at Justin.

"Ready?!" he yelled from afar.

"Hell yeah!" she chuckled and readied herself.

Justin threw the ball in the air and her eyes never tire form it, that was until a flash of blond hair whipped in front of her and Lucas caught the ball in his own hands.

He laughed and waved the ball in her face, "You think that's funny?" she cocked a brow and lifted him over her shoulder, swinging him round.

Justin joined them just as she set Lucas down, "Your turn" he laughed and lifted her over his shoulder in the exact same way she did to Lucas.

She let out a squeal, "Justin put me down!" she yelled as Lucas laughed louder.

"You think it's funny too?" Justin grinned and managed to lift Lucas over his shoulder as well.

He carried them around and swung them just to tip them over the edge slightly.

"I love you Ava, I love you" Justin cried as he gripped the blade in his hand and twisted her on her side.

"Look away Lucas, tell me if the—if the Dead Runners are getting closer" he told the boy.

Lucas cried and stood up slowly, hunching over and wrapping his arms around himself, unable to control his tears.

Justin looked to Ava and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm so sorry" he cried before moving the knife to the back of her head.

He almost shoved the knife in but stopped when he heard a sudden gasp and her eyes shot open, "AVA!" he yelled and turned her over, holding her into his chest, Lucas came sliding next to them and she coughed heavily.

"Thank god, oh thank god" Justin gasped and hugged her tightly.

"I don't understand, the bite" Ava sat up and looked between them, her eyes landed on Lucas and she grabbed him, pulling him into her chest and breathing in his scent. That boy could be covered in blood and still smell like dandelions.

"You are immune" Justin stared at her arm, "When you were taken, your blood didn't work, right?" he asked, and she nodded.

"He gave it to an infected, but the guy still turned anyway" she clarified.

Justin looked down at her and Lucas, "Maybe it can't work on anybody but you. You said that when they touched your blood back at the community, it burned them—"

"When the venom spread it felt like my body was on fire, maybe that was my blood getting rid of it" she interrupted him, and Justin's eyes lit up.

He held her closer to him, "Thought I lost you" he mumbled into the crook of her neck.

"I don't die" she laughed.

Lucas was still crying, and she couldn't help but feel guilty, not only that she almost gave her family a heart attack, but also the fact that if she get's bit she can live. Yet if they get bit, they die. And she can't do anything.

Lucas was sleeping next to Ava, the had managed to build up the walls of the barn just for the night. They scavenged for some extra bed supplied and couldn't find any, so they settled with the hay stacks blankets.

Lucas refused to leave Ava's side and Justin slept right opposite them, though he could barely sleep, almost as if he needed to stay awake and make sure Ava stayed alive. What if she has a delayed death? He wouldn't be awake to stop it and maybe she might attack Lucas.