My Timeless Torment.

Chapter 12

It was like time slowed down.

My ears were filled with the high pitched cry of Clara, and my hands flew up to my face to shield my eyes from the afternoon light.

I struggled to breathe.

My vision catching up with the scenario unfolding around me, my arm swung out and roughly pushed Clara away from the back doors of the van, towards the drivers seats. Ash was silent as was I.

Nobody moved as our vision was filled by the person who had opened the van.

My world was close to paused.

Ash lunged forward, grabbing the door of the van, fighting the stranger to pull it shut.

Time caught up.

"Lucy! Help me!"

As I grabbed the other door, I took a longer glance at the person outside.

His neck..

His neck was fine.

"Ash, he isn't sick."

The man outside must've heard.

"I'm healthy, I'm healthy too! I am just looking for supplies!"

I let go of the door, only a second before Ash did the same. Our stranger stood still, taking in what he saw in front of him. He was older than us, 30 at the most and his clothes were dirtier and more tattered than my worst. His hair was wild, but didn't compare to the crazed look in his eyes.

As wild as he looked, his neck was completely clear.

Ash broke the silence.

"Show me your chest."

The stranger lifted his shirt to reveal a dirty, but clear chest.

"Do the same," he demanded in a rough voice and we did as he said.

His face softened when he saw Clara.

"My name is John."

***

John told us of his daughter who had died when she was 5, not much older then Clara. He told us of his travels, that he had come from a nearby town to look for a quarantine area in the city.

Little did he know our city was worse.

Clara played with my fingers as John spoke, then played with Asher's fingers when he replied.

The sun was going down by the time John decided he had to go to continue his journey.

"Thank you Asher and Lucy, I bid you both the best of luck, along with the little one."

As he climbed out of the van, I heard footsteps. I couldn't control the scream that escaped my mouth but it was too late, John had been tackled to the ground.

Laying on top of the struggling John was a woman. She slowly turned her head to look at me. Blonde hair, a mess. Dark eyes, clouded. A red rash covering her neck and a deep gash in her forehead.

Ash reacted before I did, jumping towards the back doors of the van.

"Ash, it's too late, he's already been touched."

John's screams exploded into the air. Ash scrambled towards the front on the van, knocking the now terrifed Clara who was huddled into the corner.

The woman scratched and clawed at John, his screams becoming more violent.

Shutting my eyes, I slammed to back door shut.

The engine started and just like that, life had become death.