The doctor swiftly made his way to the young girl. She'd recently stopped coughing, her frail frame remaining pressed up against the wall, bare shoulders notably shaking. The doctor yanked her chin up with two fingers, looking into her eyes. After a few seconds the doctor's facial expression drastically changed and he began to walk away.
"Everyone back away, she's a Carrier!" People screamed and began to shove to get away, even if most of them were already infected. The girl screamed in terror and tried to run but was cornered by a group of people. She turned heel and tried to flee down the opposite hallway but the doctor was quicker. He blocked her path and drew a .45 from his pocket, jutting it up against the girl's forehead before she had the chance to flee.
The doctor didn't even hesitate to do it- pulled the trigger and just like that it was over. The girl's head snapped back as blood and brain matter exploded across the tiles behind her, some even landing on onlookers. People gave her body a wide berth, behaving as if just being near a Carrier's corpse would infect them. She was just like her. Shay and the others had had a chance to fight. This girl had no warning. Her life ended in a white hot flash of terror and a brilliant noise, the last noise she'd ever hear. She was dealt with as if she was a monster. Shay knew, if she let her guard down, she would leave the world in a similar way.
The scene began to warp before her eyes, swirling until the blackness reclaimed her vision. The dream had been reduced to nothingness, as if it had never happened.
She shot up in a cold sweat, heart thudding beneath her ribcage as her eyes adjusted to the twinkling sunlight of morning. What she had witnessed was in no doubt a dream, but had it actually occurred somewhere? The thought of it chilled her- it could have easily been her with her brains blown out all over the floor. It could have been Carson or Marena. The idea made her sick.
The morning song of birds wafted into her ears as she yawned and stretched, shaking off the nightmare as best she could. She looked around to find she was alone, the compartment absent of other sleeping bodies. She groaned, knowing they were all somewhere awaiting her decision.
"Put your hands up! Surrender now and you won't be shot!"
Springing into action she wormed her way out of the sleeping bag and dove for the 9mm that rested on the floor beside her. She snatched it in her hand, snaked her body around and squeezed the trigger three times. Her bullets zipped through empty air, each blowing holes in a tree trunk about five feet away. Bark shattered and flew in all directions.
Scrambling to the edge of the floor she looked down to see Carson lying in the grass, his hands over the back of his head. Panic surged through her and she bit back a scream. Oh my God, did I shoot him? Please no, please, please, please!
"Oh my god! Carson, did I hit you?" Shay cried as she jumped down beside him in the grass, her hands running over his back, searching for bullet wounds. He rolled over, his dark eyes wide. Her adrenaline instantly began to null, replaced by a white hot anger- there was no threat, except for maybe Carson's sheer stupidity. Had he not seen Zombieland?
"Easy, easy it's just me," He said, a slight humor to his voice. He propped himself up against the tree tand held his hands out in front of him in a defensive measure. He then began to laugh, that damned cocksure grin back on his face.
"I could have fucking killed you, idiot!" She wasn't finding it funny. At this he began to laugh harder, only pissing her off more. He wouldn't be laughing if she'd shot him.
"Yeah, I guess most boyfriends usually settle for good morning texts."
"You don't say?" she spat back. She would never have been able to live with herself if she'd shot him. What reaction did he expect, for her to surrender as if it was actually happening? Like hell. She wasn't about to let them kill her that easy.
"How about this? Good morning beautiful," Carson replied with a snicker.
"Kiss ass," she shot back, even if her anger was fading. For whatever reason she just couldn't stay pissed at him- he could always make her laugh, pick her up when she was down. Before she knew it she was laughing with him, letting it go. There was no point in staying angry.
Noticing the odd silence that surrounded them, she turned her head and scanned the woods around them. Katrina's rambunctious laugh was absent from the array of sounds, Marena's blonde head couldn't be seen bobbing through the trees and Kyleigh's constant whining was silenced. It felt eerie- something wasn't right.
"Where is everyone, and what time is it?" She asked him, dark brown eyes locking with his.
"Around eleven thirty I think. They ought to be back soon."
….
Marena was in charge now. With Shay caught in the realms of some nightmare there was no better person to oversee things- she was the unspoken deputy, after all. She'd chosen Katrina, Owen and Kyleigh to tag along with her on her mission. Although she would have rather had Shay and Carson besides her heading into battle Shay needed a break and Carson refused to leave her side. He'd come to realize he could actually lose her and was growing clingier.
After sleeping maybe an hour that night, tiredness was slowly starting to seep into her bones as the four of them reproached the bar. Stop being a pansy, you have a mission. You're an early riser anyways.
"So, uh, what are we doing again?" Katrina asked, looking nervously to the gun in her hands. The taller girl looked down at her, able to look across the top of her reddish-brown head and see the heat waves dancing off the road behind. Her shirt was sticking to her as if her skin was lathered with glue- although only midmorning, the humidity was cranked up on high.
"You'll see." Marena replied, smirking slightly as she left the others wondering. She knew one of them they would most likely screw up her plans anyways- best to keep them oblivious. Nobody but she and Carson knew the plan.
After a few more strides the bar came into view again, her heart instantly sinking. Troopers were strewn across the parking lot, their lights flashing red and blue. Apprehension took over as she slowed her pace, signaling with a quick movement of her hand for the others to halt as well. She had no idea how well armed the officers were. Right as she stopped Kyleigh stepped on her heels, bringing Marena to grind her teeth together in frustration.
"Mind telling me when you stop next time?" Kyleigh hissed, voice high as she shuffled backwards. Marena rolled her eyes and silently mocked her. She went back to scanning the parking lot, nervous that she'd find something far more threatening than cops.
"Shit!" She cursed softly and yanked her three friends down into the dirt. They were just off the shoulder of the road so she rolled, slipping down into the shelter of a ditch. She looked up at the others and scrambled back up to them, dragging them down with her. Now her apprehension was replaced with adrenaline as the panic began to set in. She might as well throw her old plan out the window now- it would never work now, not with the Government there.
"What the hell was that for?" Owen spat as he dug a small rock out of his hand, blood oozing onto his palm. Hearing him so angry surprised her, as he rarely talked at all. It seemed surprising that someone so quite could pack so much punch into six words. Immediately defensive, Marena shot something back.
"Suck it up, pussy!"
"Don't call my boyfriend a pussy!"
"Shut up, Katrina!"
"No, seriously, what the hell!" Kyleigh blurted , cutting of the argument. With lightning speed Marena clamped her hand over Kyleigh's mouth. Her eyes locked with the girl's large blue ones, narrowing her eyes and sharpening her gaze.
"Unless you like how my hand tastes, I suggest you shut up," Marena snarled, unwavering. She couldn't be sure if Kyleigh's shout had been heard, but they were in a fair enough distance to give reasonable fear. She reached for the 9mm tucked into her belt, ready to spring into action if the case called for it. She understood what Shay meant when she said if they didn't want to die they had to- she just had no idea if she could find it within her to willingly kill a man. "The government's there. I saw the car."
"Stop lying." Katrina r
esponded lowly.
"I'm not." Katrina's face instantly darkened as she reached for Owen's bleeding hand, fear sparking within her eyes. "Alright, this is a game changer here. They're going to be out for blood now; we killed three of them yesterday. They're better armed, better trained, and all the more superior to us-"
"Uh, Shay killed three of them. We didn't do anything." Kyleigh cut her off, removing Marena's hand from her mouth and slamming it against the gravel. She ground her teeth together as sharp stones pierced her skin. Brat.
"Do you think it matters to them? They'd have no way of knowing anyways. Anyone who witnessed it is dead or a Carrier- and they wanted to kill us before. Now they just have extra incentive." Marena spoke firmly. Katrina gripped Owen's hand tighter and Kyleigh gulped. They weren't cut out to head into battle. "So we have to step it up. We need to use the element of surprise. Since I'm the fastest I'll sneak up there and hide. When I shoot my gun off, you throw this, alright?" She scrounged in the backpack slung over her shoulder until her hand found the small round object. She pulled it out and offered it to Katrina, whose facial expression shifted from horror to shock.
"Marena, you're kidding, right? A grenade?" She asked, cautiously inching her hands towards the tiny explosive, acting as if it would detonate at any moment.
"You're the one who wanted to blow a hole in the bridge. Seems fair enough," she responded, shoving the grenade into Katrina's hand. "But throw it before the gunshot and you screw us all over. You still might get the surprise element but you'll blow me up while doing so, and then what?"
Katrina nodded. "Then we'd be screwed."
Marena jokingly patted her on the shoulder. "And an A for Miss O'Dell!" She crowed sarcastically. "I'm leaving this here. I'm going to need help after the grenade explodes. There's an M16 in there. I'm not sure I trust you to use it, but I can't pick and choose anymore." She instructed while sliding the backpack off her shoulder and onto the ground, the gravel crunching beneath it.
"Got it." Katrina responded, bobbing her head.
"Good." And with that Marena was off. She was scared out of her mind, only it didn't stop her- her legs just kept moving. Fear is a motivator, not an intimidator. I know what I have to do. Do it for Shay, do it for Carson, and do it for you. Be a team player.
As she reached the edge of the parking lot voices carried on the wind, coming closer with each second. She dove down, her body sliding the last few feet over the asphalt. Her skin was ripped away, leaving raw and stinging patches on her legs and arms. She clamped her mouth shut and bit her lip hard to keep from crying out. She kept pushing, inching her way towards the nearest police vehicle. Marena was a strong girl- it would take a lot more than floor burns to deter her.
The footfalls grew closer. Cursing silently, she scanned the parking lot for a sufficient hiding spot. The best she could find was under a police trooper, crawling her way under it and pressing herself against the asphalt, thankful for the drop in temperature. The coolness of the ground felt wonderful against her screaming skin.
Two pairs of feet circled the trooper and Marena went rigid. All muscles in her body tightened and her grip was like iron on the gun. They were so close she could read the brand names on the soles of their shoes. She held her breath, terrified even the slightest noise would alert them of her position.
"I believe they're gone now, sir. Atkins never came back last night, they probably killed him." One voice said as the two men stopped moving. The driver's side door opened above her and one of the men stepped inside. No, she pleaded silently. If he drives off my cover's blown.
"I doubt they've gone far. Fifteen year olds and alcohol don't mix." Another voice replied, his voice far less deep and gravelly.
"None of the witnesses said any of them showed signs of intoxication."
"There was an incident where Claire punched one of them, but after what happened at the motel I don't think she'd need to be drunk to do it." The man said, spitting out Shay's last name as if it was poison in his mouth. Marena pursed her lips. Is it too much to ask for them to call us by our first names every once and a while? "Just call for backup and have them search the surrounding ten miles. They didn't come with a vehicle, they fled on foot. I doubt they've gotten that far, but better safe than sorry."
"I'll radio backup." She found she couldn't hold her breath any longer, for the black dots were beginning to swarm her vision. She exhaled all at once, much louder than she intended to. She instantly tensed, drowned in fear, waiting to see if she'd been heard.
"What was that?"
"It's an old car, I've no idea." responded the man in the car, brushing it off. Don't check under the car, don't check under the car, don't check under the car she pleaded, every muscle in her body tensed.
"That didn't sound like a car." Shit.
Marena's heart seemed to stop beating. She ran her thumb over the ridges in the gun, a last minute effort to calm herself. She flicked the safety off, dreading what she might have to do if the agent checked under the car. One large hand rested against the asphalt, then the other, and moments later she was eye-to-eye with one of her worst enemies.
She screamed in shock as amusement flickered through the man's eyes. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"It's McGrew!" The agent decreed, waving one of his arms to signal for backup. She took in a deep breath, now fully understanding what Shay went through when she decided to shoot the agents. Just do it. If you don't want to die, they have to.
"I go by Marena, bitch," she spat, and squeezed the trigger.
Chapter 15
A gunshot ripped through the morning, sending birds flying up out of trees as it echoed around the woods. Shay jumped and dove from the cover of the U-Haul, propelled by instinct. She crawled her way to one of the M16s, snatching it up within her arms.
"Shay, hold on!" Carson said behind her, crawling his way into the truck after her. She attempted to rush past him but he grabbed her arm, firmly pulling her down. Her eyes locked with his as she struggled against him, the adrenaline pumping in her veins. He didn't look concerned or scared in the least bit, instead icily calm.
"Didn't you hear that?" She asked him, clicking off the safety to her weapon as she did. He nodded.
"Don't worry about, I'm sure Marena has it all under control." He told her calmly. Shay's eyes widened and she struggled against his grip harder.
"Marena? What the hell does she think she's-" she didn't have time to finish, for Carson had leaned in and kissed her. At first she was taken aback and slightly angry, as she knew this was his attempt to distract her from the matters at hand, yet she found she didn't even care. The feeling of his lips against hers was too much to deny so she sank into it, embracing his distraction with open arms. She ran her fingers through his hair while his hands found her waist, and just like that she was momentarily distracted.
…
Marena had never seen a brain before, but after she pulled the trigger there were bits of it scattered behind the agent's body, mixed in with a growing pool of his own blood. Her eyes were transfixed on it for a few seconds before the bile rose in the back of her throat, forcing her to look away. Oh God, I did that. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, hoping that when she reopened them he would be gone. Instead she found his lifeless eyes, widened with permanent shock. I'm gonna be sick.
A metallic clink echoed across the parking lot, reaching Marena's ears as she tensed. Fear rushed through her body as recognition rippled through her- it was the grenade she'd instructed Katrina to throw. Dammit Katrina. It wouldn't be fair to blame her; she'd only followed her instructions. I get the honor of being blown to ash because I had a temporary lapse of judgment, she thought. Wonderful.
The explosion came suddenly. A loud boom announced detonation, causing her to scream as she covered her ears with her dirty hands. She felt the police trooper be blown away from above her as intense heat licked at her exposed skin, threatening to burn as the car collided against the brick wall of the bar somewhere behind her, glass rai
ning down upon her skin. She didn't know why, but she found herself praying, even if she did not deserve God's mercy.
The fiery demise she braced for never came- the intense heat faded, only leaving phantom heat against her skin. The car alarm of the police trooper wailed in the background as her ears rang, vision blurry as she collapsed onto her back, dazed and disoriented from the blast.
A large crater of asphalt was blown into the parking lot, tendrils of smoke rising out of it as she rolled her body further away. The police trooper was flipped over, windows and metal smashed in like claws. The man inside lay unmoving. She reached for the handgun as shouts and commands began to come together against the ringing in her ears, knowing she was about to have to fight for her life.
"There she is!" One shouted, ringing clearer than the rest. She could make out a few officers sprinting toward her through the smoke. She forced herself to regain her footing, her legs threatening to buckle.
The weapon in her hand felt alien. She shouldn't be holding a killing machine. She was still struggling to accept she'd just shot a man point blank between the eyes, and she sure as hell wasn't ready to pull the trigger again. She'd never expected her plan would come to a firefight. This wasn't supposed to happen. Nobody had to die.
Her world slowed to a crawl as she raised her arms above her head. In the next moment she released her gun, watching the handgun as it fell past her face. It struck the asphalt somewhere near her feet, the noise slow and delayed as the officers stopped, weapons drawn, eyeing her cautiously.
"I surrender!" Marena declared, questioning the words that came out of her mouth. Did she really, or did she just not wish to kill any more people? She couldn't be sure. Fear washed over her as the officers didn't stand down- they continued to keep their guns trained on her skinny physique, seemingly ready to fire at any given moment. She knew the situation all too well; she'd seen Shay be in it a little over twenty four hours ago. Marena was determined to not handle the situation in the same way- Shay shot them. That didn't have to happen here.
Carriers Page 12
