The Touch of Infection

Chapter 60:Human

Carisa slowly looked out the window to make sure nothing was around. Her eyes darting through the trees and houses, until the beeping of the device startled her. She brought it to her face and tapped it, "Hello?"

"Lock everything if it isn't. There's someone dangerous in the area, if you see him tell me, do not get close, don't even speak. You'll stay away... Car is a, swear to me you'll stay away." Hearing the desperation in his voice Carisa was silent.

Nodding her head before remembering he couldn't see her, "I'll stay inside, everything's already closed, you don't need to worry." She got out of sight from the window and curled down beside the bed, "I haven't seen anything outside so maybe they're not as close as you think."

"I don't care if they're not as near as I think, they might have weapons, I'm going back there." Marnik switched back to his language murmuring under his breath.

Carisa could understand a few words of it, "Don't curse at me!... and don't come here, didn't you have to still go back to the vehicle?"

"Forget about that... and I'm not cursing at you." He grumbled, "keep the device on, even if you're not speaking, I just need to hear what goes on around."

"Alright, she set the device on the bed, while sitting beside it, " How far are you?"

"Not that far..." he switched back to his native tongue, "Maybe I should have listened to Amite."

"Yeah, maybe you should have!" Carisa barked, her voice high, and suddenly hearing a bang at the door.

"Don't scream... I heard the bang, is that you?"

Carisa sucked in a deep breath, "no..."

"Damn it." He growled and huffed, "hide somewhere, and stay there until I say I'm there."

"Fine." She whispered and took the device with her in the closet. She kept a crack open to see out. Waiting for someone or something to walk in at any moment.

Marnik had gone quiet and the time seemed to tick slower. The banging stopping and a voice speaking up, "Anyone in there?"

The voice sounded raspy and dry, so she couldn't recognize the voice to anyone she'd met before. The door was broken open and the person walked in. His steps getting closer until reaching the barricade at the door, "I'm not here to hurt anyone... I'm running from that thing too."

Carisa's nose crinkled, she could tell he was speaking of Marnik, "Don't listen to him." Marnik whispered through the device, "I'll explain once I'm there... don't get near him."

She kept quiet hearing the person continue to try opening the door, "I have a group not far... if you're interested... head ten houses down, there's a sign that says road 57... head left from there and you'll eventually get to the camp."

She was surprised to hear him say that, normally people would fight anyone getting to their camp, it was like declaring war against a group. And getting an invitation to just go on and walk in was rare. Carisa got out of the closet and walked to the door keeping the barricade in place, "I'm infected." She whispered.

"I got a bit too... but I don't want to die just yet. It doesn't matter if you're infected, they'll do what they can." She heard him say, and before she thought it through she hung up on Marnik.

"You need to leave, you need to leave now. If not... he'll come to get you, and drag you back." She said, and pressed her head on the wall, "GET OUT!"

He stepped back, "If he's got you tied up in there I can help. Just try kicking anything blocking the door-"

"No, just leave! He'll be here any minute now... run away, just go... and move that camp. You need to warn your friends, he knows." She banged her hand on the wall, "leave, leave! Please leave."

He sighed, "I'll come back." Hearing his steps grow distant she sighed in relief. Sitting back on the bed she frowned, her eyes looking at the floor the window suddenly cracking. Marnik walked in with a scowl on his face, and a glare dark in his eyes. The blue marks on his face getting brighter, stopping a few feet away from her.

"He's gone." She told him.

"I heard everything." He spat, "you seem to have made friends." Marnik spoke rather sarcastically before standing in front of her, "He was one of the test subjects and you let him go."

"He's a human just like me, we've made it this far, he doesn't deserve to be your guinea pig." She said without meeting his eyes once.

"Then you'd rather die... you know it doesn't even matter if you hung up on me. I heard where they are, I can find them. Even if you told him to move the group, I am faster and stronger, I'll be there before he can even find the stupid sign!" Marnik set his hands on either side of Carisa, "I'll be honest, I don't care if I need to make this world burn just to get your cure."

She stood up and pointed at him, "You're out of your mind! Don't you even know what boundaries are!?"

"I know exactly what they are! And I trusted you to keep quiet! You said you would and then you hang up on me to warn the human." He screamed and brought hands up to pull at his hair.

"I'M HUMAN! I'm human... so don't you forget that." She glared seeing the marks on his face glow brighter.

He leaned down, "I'm reminded of that tragedy every day."

Carisa continued to glare up at him, her eyes watering at his words, "I'm sorry..."