Antidote Trilogy: The Complete Box Set

by Taylor Hondos

  “What do you suggest as our plan?” I asked.

  “You aren’t going to like it.” She said with an almost sinister grin. She laughed but that cackle soon turned into coughs. I cringed at the wet sounds coming from her chest.

  As the coughs died down, she removed her hand from her mouth to reveal blood. I ran over to her but she waved me away. “We have to move and fast.” She was in super mode as soon as she finished the sentence. She was holding up the knife from her bag.

  “You are going to go back to the compound. Only this time, you will already be dead. Or so they will think.” She said while holding the knife ominously in her hand. It sounded menacing, but by the looks of it, I wasn’t the only one who would be dead soon. The blood coating her hand proved it.

  Chapter Two: Is There No Better Way?

  THE PLAN THAT Holland created was great, except I would be covered in blood. Not only my blood, but also Holland’s blood too. The point was to get as much blood on me as possible. Holland was already bleeding, so she just smeared some blood on me.

  I knew the disease wasn’t contracted from bodily fluids, but still, I was grossed out. We made small cuts on my arms to create a blood flow. I felt weaker by the minute, but Holland convinced me that this was the best for both of us.

  Then she broke my thoughts. “I think the disease is airborne now.” I looked over in shock. Shit. Okay, sure, just cover me in your diseased blood. Okay, that was mean but I couldn’t contain my thoughts. Stay calm. I tried to convince myself.

  “I know I was injected with it. But the world. The world seems different.” she shook her head slowly as she looked around. “For instance, this beach. Look a little funny to you?” I followed her gaze. The sand had pieces of tarnished body parts. Arms, legs, pieces of skin. The world was in disorder. There was no denying it. The sand had turned red from so much blood. It didn’t stop there. Blood coated the island.

  “It does look pretty gruesome down here. It looks as if there have been bloody battles along this island. Do you really think it is airborne? Where is the proof other than just looking at the sand?”

  She hesitated. “Gabe and I warned everyone on the news to stay away from hospitals. If they listened, then how did so many people catch the disease? It has to be spread through the air now, right?” she was deep in thought.

  “I don’t have the answer. I wish I had all the answers, but I just don’t.” I told her sadly. I wished there was a way to make it all right.

  Holland and I continued with our plans, and just added to the bloody mess. The sand was thrown on my body as well, to make it look as if I had been bleeding into the sand around me. I had to look as convincing as possible.

  Holland began talking once more through the silence we had just shared. “When I had reached the Earth Saviors, as they called themselves, I had passed through many towns. All of those towns were destroyed. Bodies everywhere. The grass was no longer green. Hell, are the skies even blue anymore, Jared? Or is the sky tarnished with blood too? The world we used to know is gone. The love that held people together has been destroyed. I know that love didn’t do this to our world. Hate did this to our world. And how can we go on as people with hate all around us? Destruction. Corruption. It never ends, does it?” I held her gaze as she continued.

  “Inside the Earth Saviors club, there was death everywhere. I was with them for four days. Just four. I saw more death in those four days than I had in my entire life. Not the deaths we see on the movies, or the dead we saw at funerals. I saw bodies being ripped apart. Screams of terror that haunt me day and night.” I felt chills coursing through my body.

  “The thing is, none of them left to go to the hospital, they had been warned, and many caught Dermadecatis just the same. The Earth Saviors would rather have rotted their entire bodies. They would rather look almost like a zombie. Flesh eaten away, dried blood along their face and smell as if they were already dead. They would have rather had their arms cut off, just to have it regrow in worse condition than before just to not be a robot. Just to not be mindless like Lena. Can you imagine?”

  She paused for an answer but I didn’t give her one. I couldn’t. I couldn’t imagine. I wouldn’t want to be controlled, but I wouldn’t want to rot from the inside, out either. She broke my thoughts. “So essentially I am answering my own question, it is airborne now. I don’t know how I didn’t get this disease sooner.”

  “Did the disease mutate somehow? That has to be the only way.” She didn’t answer me. “I can’t believe it. How awful things got and so fast.” She shook her head with me. We were both two souls who were lost. Destroyed without love, without an answer and without hope. The world was forgotten, and so were we.

  “Let’s move on with our plan. And fast.” She said hastily. I thought that meant that she didn’t want to discuss the matter any further, so I went straight back to work. We sat in silence but she finally broke it again. “If it is airborne, we will all be doomed.” She didn’t have to tell me twice. The truth was, we were already doomed.

  “I know.” I didn’t want the disease but it would be inevitable. Why not speed up the process of getting the disease by getting cozy with a pile of infected blood?

  I hoped Lena would be the one to retrieve me. If someone else came, I was afraid they would just kill me on the spot. Then again, my father probably wanted to take his precious time with my death. I didn’t know if this plan was going to work because I was not the best actor, but I did know that Holland was. She would be the master of the show. She had many years of being dramatic in every situation that she should be able to fake anything.

  “Do you think they will actually find us?” I asked. I was sitting in the sand. I kept throwing the bloodstained sand on my body to keep it fresh. Holland took out her compact mirror. She rose it to her eyes, and I watched as she took a deep inhale. She couldn’t stand the way she looked now. I knew from the way her face darkened as soon as she saw herself. I knew from the gloom that fell over the air. I couldn’t stand the sight of her either now; it just illuminated my latest failure. Her.

  “First off, you will lay in the sand, far from the ocean and closer to the jungle part of the island. I want to say that when we move away from the water, there will be a swarm of people, including Gabe.” She paused as she shivered with remembrance of what Gabe had done. I couldn’t forget. I wouldn’t let myself forget what he did while she probably could forgive him eventually. “The thing is, I don’t know why Gabe couldn’t come get us himself. Can he go near water?”

  I paused. “Gabe is the controller, the master. He is not one of the controlled. So why wouldn’t he go near water? I paused. “Maybe they’re afraid of us then?”

  She was cackling again, that wet sound coming from her chest just wouldn’t stop, and it caused chills to go down my spine. “Don’t make me laugh, Jared. No. You’re the only thing that’s threatening to them. But still, if there were ten against just us, that wouldn’t be very menacing at all. Especially in my state.” She sighed and turned her attention back to her reflection in the compact mirror. She grimaced.

  “How do you even have that mirror?” I asked with suspicion. “Your priorities are super straight.” I said with a smile.

  “Hello. You think I don’t walk around with makeup and mirrors twenty-four-seven?” She grinned at me and I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

  “What’s next, chief?” I asked her. She frowned immediately as she attempted a smile. I knew it was because it hurt to smile. She was rotting faster than Lena ever did. The disease was advancing, mutating right before my very eyes.

  They had more time to enhance the disease, and it killed me to know that the world was going under day-by-day, month by month. It seemed as though the moment that Lena was captured, the world had floundered.

  “Holland?” I asked through the silence.

  She turned to me with an evil glare. “Hush.” She said, and I frowned as her focus shifted.

  She wasn’t watching me, but I
pretend locked my lips, and threw the imaginary key in the air, and turned to the sea. The ocean. It reminded me of Lena. Lena loved the ocean. I remember the day I brought her to the safe house. She wanted to be near the ocean so badly. It warmed my heart when she did that.

  The safe house. It reminded me of the life before the disease, and before things were hard. I didn’t know where things went wrong with Gabe. We had been friends for as long as I could remember. And without a trace, without a serious motive, he switched teams. He was my best friend. The one I could count on, and now he was the one who wanted me dead the most. I left the safe house to find Lena and then everything went to hell. Holland was with him the entire time. How did she not see the truth?

  I shook my head to myself and then froze as my thoughts ran wild. I couldn’t help the thoughts that occurred, I couldn’t help the feelings that were coming over me as I analyzed the situation. I knew the thoughts were wrong, and I shouldn’t even flirt with the idea that Holland would betray me too, but it only seemed logical. If Gabe could do it, so could Holland. Holland wasn’t with me, she couldn’t be. She had to be on Gabe’s side. Right?

  She broke my thoughts, but the panic in me was still rising to the surface as it had earlier tonight. “So the plan. Let’s go over it again, more thoroughly this time.” She stood quickly. I simply nodded.

  “Okay. I am going to hit you over the head. So it looks like there was a struggle. Then I will spill some more of my own blood on you. That way, it looks like you killed me.” I grimaced at the thought. If Gabe knew me at all, and he did know me, he would know that I didn’t kill her. I couldn’t kill Holland. I couldn’t betray my friends like he could. “Then, it will look like you are on the brink of death. I will hide here pretending to be dead, so I can breach the system from this island.” Right. What could possibly go wrong?

  I wanted to believe her but it was very hard at the moment. “Got the plan?” she said quickly, and I nodded. My thoughts were still running, but I had to let them go if this was going to work.

  I got the plan. She would somehow betray me. Wouldn’t she? “How do you know they will leave your “dead body” here?” I asked sarcastically. She looked at me full of anger, and I cringed away.

  “If they take me, I will breach the system there while they deal with you.” she paused, and examined my face for a moment. “I know you don’t trust me.” it was like she could hear my thoughts. She didn’t elaborate any further, just extending my unease.

  “Why do you say that?” I asked silently.

  “Well, you think I am going to betray you as Gabe did. I won’t though,” she hesitated, she reached for my hand and I let her take hold. “We are in this together.”

  I nodded and embraced the warmth of her hand in mine. I had to think logically, she was the only friend I had left. I was all she had left too. I had to believe that she wasn’t truly capable of betraying me. Although my head was finally agreeing that Holland was with me, I couldn’t get the aching feeling in my chest away that she wasn’t on my side. And we all know the heart is always right, don’t we? I didn’t trust her. I couldn’t allow myself to trust blindly ever again.

  Chapter Three: After Burn

  WE WERE SITTING ducks waiting for all the details to look just right so that Gabe and the robots would believe we were both dead and gone. My fear was gaining speed as fast as the time was flying by.

  I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t help but be discouraged that Holland would ever truly not be on Gabe’s side. She loved the monster. I knew that Holland had stayed with me through it all, but I couldn’t help where my mind wandered. In the safe house, she was great. She was there for me, she was there for Lena, but she loved Gabe. There was so much you would do for love. I would know.

  I couldn’t help the sting in the back of my mind reminding me not to fall victim to lies anymore. I had fallen prey to too many lies in my lifetime. I was too trusting, that was my weakness. And they both knew it. All too well.

  The wind picked up around me, and I felt the burn in my eyes. Chills ran down my spine as I shivered against the cool air. Holland’s face was turning redder by the minute as the wind whipped against her face. Her eyes were shut and her mouth was slightly agar. She was in pain. The temperature seemed to drop by many degrees in that moment, as night was finally upon us. I watched her face in the newfound darkness. Her eyes were still closed. I wondered what she was thinking.

  “Holland, when should we make our move?” I said after the lingering silence. She peeked one eye open to look at me, before shutting it back.

  “I know that Gabe is probably scheming as well. So I think we can wait it out for a few more hours and then we can make our move.” I smiled because I had been counting on his schemes. All his schemes were always the same; get in, get the job done effectively and slowly. He wasn’t exactly the master of speed.

  Truthfully, my heart ached when I thought of my friend, my ex best friend. He was brilliant, he always was, and now his mind was being used for evil.

  I knew all of Gabe’s flaws, and in turn, he knew all of mine. He would count on my weaknesses, as I had counted on his. It was weird to be on the other side of Gabe. Enemy and not best friend. It felt so unnatural for me to hate him, but I did, and I had to defeat him. If I didn’t defeat him, everything would be lost. The life I held dear, the lives I held dear, would all disappear from me into the dust.

  “Well, I guess we can make a fire because it is a little chilly.” She said through the dense air. A little? I felt like the air was going to turn me into an icicle.

  “Should I go look for some wood?” I asked her when she made no move to start the fire. Instead, she looked as if she were chattering at the mouth. She had slightly crouched over, in an attempt to warm herself. My thoughts of our escape vanished in this moment. Even if I had fear of Holland being with Gabe, I knew that she needed warmth.

  Her eyes popped open, “Sure. I can help.” She rose slightly, and I could tell that she was winded because she stumbled to the left.

  “No.” I rushed to her side to push her gently back down on the log she sat on. “I will get it myself.”

  She smiled to me as she lowered herself back down. “Okay. Thank you.” I rubbed her arm in response. I wished we had a blanket or I had a jacket to give her to wrap herself up, but we had nothing.

  I walked through the wooded area behind us. I knew it wouldn’t take long to find some wood. I knew trying to start a fire might take a little longer than it needed to take. I wished Gabe had created a way to make a fire start with just the mind.

  As I stepped into the wooded area, I heard a shriek. I froze in shock because the sound was so eerie. I shouldn’t have left her alone. I shouldn’t have been out away from the water. It was too soon. The plan was ruined. I pivoted around to hear another scream.

  From my view, I saw that Holland was no longer seated. I had to stop myself from being foolish and shouting her name, because I knew whoever took her would be waiting for me. They had to be.

  I crouched down on the ground, and crawled until I knew the tree hid me. I peered out into the night for movement, but there was none. There was nothing to be seen in the night. Where was Holland? Did they just snatch her and leave? Did they kill her and I just didn’t see yet. Were they waiting for me? Did they know I was hiding behind this tree?

  These thoughts were rushing through my head, when I heard a snap behind me. I jumped a mile a minute at the sound. I turned quickly and relief washed all over me when I saw that it was Holland.

  “Jesus. You scared me.” I whispered harshly. She didn’t answer, but instead continued her prance towards me. A chill ran down my spine as I watched her smile grow. She looked creepy as ever in the darkness, the moonlight seeming to illuminate the rot on her cheeks.

  “Holland?” I asked quietly. She put a finger to her lips and pointed forward. I followed her finger to see three figures walking towards where Holland had been sitting once before.

  I watched the hu
nching walk of one of them, and immediately recognized it was Gabe. Gabe turned towards the tree that Holland and I peeked around. I shook all over when his red eyes pierced the night. His eyes bore into the wooded area, and I prayed that I was not revealing much of myself. I slammed my back against the tree, and attempted to catch my breath. Holland was huddled down, still peering around. I wanted to tell her to make sure she was hidden, but I was afraid they would hear.

  I tried to be as calm as possible as I peered back around. Gabe continued to look at us, or in the general direction of us. I couldn’t look away this time. I couldn’t be a sitting duck. I would have to attack and protect Holland and I. Finally Gabe lost interest, and turned away from us. I was able to breathe again.

  I turned back around to Holland, but to my utter surprise and shock, she was gone. Now was time to panic, and panic I did. I started to hyperventilate silently, as my eyes searched the night. Where could she have gone? She was just right here. I looked back up to find Gabe, to see if Holland had joined his side.

  The two men stood watch behind Gabe as he was now searching through our belongings. Bastard. But where had Holland gone?

  That was when I felt something approach me, too close for comfort. The warmth of their breath touched my ears and made me shift away. I attempted to turn to face my intruder quickly, but rough hands forced my face forward instead.

  “Trust me, Jared. Please.” She said in a sickening voice. Before a second went by, I watched as Gabe and his two followers, lurched towards us in the woods with supersonic speed. They must have heard her voice; her awfully quiet voice in the night. I turned around to see Holland holding up a large rock. She had it raised over her head.

  The pain was so strong as the first dig nailed me in the head. I fell to the ground with a clump, meeting the dirt face first. I felt a kick in the side, and I groaned as a mix of sand and dirt entered my mouth. Holland pushed me over so I was lying helpless on my side. All I could feel was betrayal as Gabe approached her smiling. He kissed her softly on the mouth, and she smiled deeply at him. My heart clenched. I was right then. Gabe turned his attention to me soon after. I felt sick.