Chapter 5: Moving On

After Jaclyn narrowly escapes with an unconscious Chris, she quickly learns that all hell has been unleashed upon the world, and nothing is as it seems.

 

Chapter 5: Moving on

 

Dark came when they reached apartments. Jaclyn was lucky she didn’t run into any more of those freaks, but they all took different roads when they heard screams up ahead. The apartment they found was small and had blood smeared on the windows. The doors were wide open, and the lobby lights were dark. Jaclyn goes first, hearing for anything out there. Along the way, she handed Chris a pistol, and he held it like a child. Tai was silent most of the way, and she really didn’t ask questions which Jaclyn liked. Maybe she was traumatized, or scared, but either way, Jaclyn liked the silence. It made them avoid any sort of trouble.

The lobby was dark without Jaclyn’s vision, but there were dead bodies everywhere. Some were split in two, and others had their whole head decapitated. The blood was dried though, so it wasn’t fresh. Jaclyn scopes the lobby, looking for any freaks, but there was no sign of them. Jaclyn throws a thumb up behind her and hears the scuffs of shoes as they enter the hallway. “Stay close behind me.” Jaclyn looks for the stairs and finds them down the hall on the left. She looks back every few seconds to make sure they were following, and they were. The stairwell had a drop in temperature, but there was nothing strange about it. No dead bodies, no blood, nothing. Jaclyn leads the way to the 4^th floor. She opens the door a crack and looks out. The hallway was eerie and silent, the cold air matching Jaclyn’s cheeks. She peers around but finds it silent like any other day. She opens it some more, the door creaking as she went. It made her cringe, sending a silent laugh through her as if she was in a terrible spy movie. All the doors in their hallway were closed, though one of the doors had blood smeared on it. Jaclyn opens the door all the way. It swings open with creaky hinges, and Chris makes a weird sound with his mouth. Jaclyn looks back at him, face not amused. It looked like the coast was clear, and Jaclyn sneaks towards the first door. It was clean, no specks of dried blood, and the door looked unlocked. Jaclyn tries the handle and swings open with efficiency. The room was trashed with household items. The light was still on, so that meant that electricity still worked here. That made Jaclyn’s heart thump, causing her to smile. Light pours into the dark hallway, and she realized that there were multiple blood stains. Her vision only worked for so good in the pitch dark, and that made Jaclyn happy. It made her feel more normal. Jaclyn steps inside, sensing nobody was here, and beckons for Chris and Tai to come in. They hurry in, imagination working with the dark hallway, spinning terrible ideas in the dark. But wasn’t that all? In the dark, everyone thought about what could be lurking in the darkness, but there was always nothing. Until now. Jaclyn shuts the door with a muted click, and hurries to the window, peeking out to see if anyone followed them. This side of the street was burnt, the fires long died down now, and charred skeletons of cars litter the road like ants. Jaclyn couldn’t make out any blood, but she was sure it was there like water. There were corpses everywhere. Some even had charred skin and showed dirty whites of bones. The other apartment next to them had broken windows and charred brick, and Jaclyn was surprised it wasn’t toppling over right at that second. It looked like it was on its last leg.

“Ok, let me start first. What the hell just happened?” Chris sweeps his hands in a big motion. Jaclyn switches off her enhancements, sending a gasp from Tai, but she ignores him. “Chris,” Jaclyn’s voice goes on the edge of tears. The emotions swept over her at that moment. She was so intent on finding shelter, that she hadn’t realized that he was alive and well. Jaclyn walks slowly to him, her eyes watery. Their world was falling apart, and now it made her job a million times worse. She promised herself she will kill Ian when she got the chance. She just hoped he wasn’t too far from her.

 

“I-I, I’m sorry, Chris.” Jaclyn whispers, their faces inches apart. She never cared so much for anybody in her life, and here he was. The man she loved. And yet Jaclyn knew she was desperate for attention. She never got it and wanted to feel what it felt like. Jaclyn starts out in a jumble, words tumbling out, from the fight, to the forest hike, and to her encounter to with those freaks. She felt guilty, for leaving Chris like that in the fight. She never roamed the consequences of leaving him, and it hurt her to the core. But still, she had to shake it off, knowing that what was in the past stayed there. And yet she couldn’t shake her abusive memories. Jaclyn guessed it was the long, stretched years that tore into her brain and stayed there.

After Jaclyn was finished, Chris’ face was one of sorrow. “I’m sorry, Jaclyn. You should have just left me there.” He jokes though Jaclyn didn’t need it right now. Jaclyn smiles warmly. “I had to flee when the police came, and I couldn’t have left you there.” Chris cracks a smile. “You might have a few broken ribs, and you got hit pretty hard in the head. You might a have a concussion.”

“So that explains…” Chris mutters. Jaclyn was delighted at the moment, but a question still burned in the back of her brain. “Chris?” Jaclyn asks. “Hmm?”

“Why did John demand money from you? Or try to kill you? I thought I was supposed to kill him because of valuable information.” Chris’ face looked like he was dreading this moment. He sucks in an air of breath and starts to explain. “Drake didn’t want you to kill him because of the info. You see, he did offer him the spot, but he denied. He could honestly care less if word spreads about R4G9. We traded contraband with him, and we were going to meet up at the restaurant. That was why Drake sent me with you. He didn’t have the money, and I was the bait. You were supposed to kill him either way though.” Jaclyn thought about it and felt disgusted in being tangled up in felonies. She didn’t want to dive any deeper in this conversation and was glad when Tai clears her throat. Both heads swivel to look at her, arms against her hips. “Tell me. What you are.” She demands, looking Jaclyn up and down. Jaclyn sighs and goes to sit down on the couch, which seemed brand new. Chris follows her, sitting down next to her and interlocking their hands. He gives Jaclyn’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s, a long story.” Jaclyn laughs, thinking about how long it really was ago. A lifetime of pain. “So, tell me anyway, so that I know you’re not going to go ballistic on me in the middle of the night when I’m sleeping.”

“If you’re that afraid, you could always leave,” Chris says. Jaclyn gives him another look, and his eyes go dark. Tai scoffs. “Yeah, no s**t I’ll go out there right now or even later. I’m not even armed, and I got hurt.” Jaclyn suddenly remembers at the mention of it and puts a barrier of caution between her. She didn’t know, but if Tai got scratched, then she could become a freak. Maybe it wasn’t contagious that way though. Maybe the infection spreads quickly and you turn in a few seconds. Maybe not. Jaclyn didn’t know for sure.

“Are you ok?” Jaclyn blurts, looking at Tai’s side. Tai smiles. “It hurt like hell, but I’m fine. I just hope I don’t turn into a zombie.” Tai laughs, but it quickly turns in a serious manner when silence fills the room. “I don’t know, ok? I just don’t know. Please, don’t do this. I’m fine, really I am.” Tai pleas as Jaclyn debates. “Let me see your side,” Chris demands. Tai obeys, not wanting to upset him when he had the choice to kick her out or not. The scratch was already scabbing over, and dried blood runs down her side. Tai closes her eyes. But there was no sign of infection, and that was good.

Chris sighs and steps back, sitting on the couch again. He looks her over one last time and turns away with an unreadable emotion on his face. Jaclyn decides to let Chris make the decision, her hands were already too bloody. “She has no sign of infection, and its healing okay. I’m not sure how long it takes to get infected though.”

“Wouldn’t I have turned by now? It really takes a few hours to turn, and its nightfall right now.” Tai says, trying to convince the two. “Okay, enough with this. If she turns in the night, I’ll kill her. She can stay, I’ll take first watch.” Jaclyn compromises, because she couldn’t handle herself seeing Tai out there, probably getting munched on. It was much easier if she turned to kill her, knowing that she was already gone. Tai’s face turns into fear, but she nods, glad that she isn’t going to be kicked out. Chris gives Jaclyn a funny face but stays quiet. Jaclyn felt uncomfortable and tries to change the subject. “Tai, I know you wanted to know what I am, and I’m going to give you it. You see, my lunatic dad wanted to give me implants to survive this so-called�"“ Jaclyn’s face turns into horror. Ian was right, about the virus that was going to strike the Earth to its knees. And that was why he got her implanted. Or to go be his hitman. It didn’t connect, and Jaclyn felt dizzy. How was Ian right? Jaclyn curses him so much, and it hurt her just to be blood-related. How did he predict it? He worked for G.E.B.I, not some science lab. Or did he? Jaclyn’s mind spun, and she springs up from the couch, pacing. “He was right, all along,” Jaclyn mutters to herself. She didn’t know how he could have predicted it, but he must have got something secret other than the rogue group. It hurt to admit he was right. “Right about what?” Chris cuts in from her thinking like a knife to a block of cheese. “Nothing, I don’t want to get you sucked into this. It would be pointless since I don’t even know how he did it, and it wouldn’t matter anyway.”

“Ok, but just tell me anyway, I’m curious.” Chris protests. Tai cuts in too, “No, she was going to tell me what she is.” Chris makes a very quiet whining sound but shuts his mouth. This conversation reminded Jaclyn of bickering children. “My father, Ian, before this all went down, thought a virus was coming that was going to wipe the Earth of life. He wanted me to be prepared, but I know that was only half-truth. He had me implanted with these, well, I don’t know. These weapons. He was very abusive to me, and well, let's just say he was using me for his hitman in this rogue group.” Jaclyn sighs, not wanting to go into details about anything else. She also didn’t want a pity party for her. She has had enough of those to know it won’t make anything better, and that it won’t help. People won’t truly feel sorry for her.

Tai’s face goes from sympathetic, to fear, and finally to curiosity. “I’m sorry, Jaclyn. I know what it feels like to be betrayed by family. My father left us to die in Vietnam. He was a police officer and took his job more seriously than us. We were a poor family, and when he left us dry and high, we had no more money left to even buy any food. It was rough, but my mom scraped up enough money to let me live.” Jaclyn nods, feeling sorry for the girl. No one should have gone through her life like she did. Anyone deserved better. There was a moment of silence, self-grief taking over the remembrance. “So, are you going to kill me in the night?” Tai asks, trying to break the thick ice. Jaclyn laughs at it but finds that Tai was serious. “No, but if you turn then you’ll have to face me.” Tai nods, her long and silky black hair moving with her head like strings on a puppet. Jaclyn admired her hair. Chris stays silent, his eyes looking off in the distance of the room, trying not to engage. Jaclyn sighs wistfully and gets up from the couch, Chris’ eyes burning into her like fire. He was angry with her because she didn’t share something with him? That made her get the vibe that he was spoiled, but she ignores it.

Jaclyn needed to change her clothes, and find some shoes. Her feet were okay, but they throbbed with each step she took, all reminding her when Ian did those terrible things to her. He would pay for his crime, and it was going to be revengeful death. Jaclyn goes to the other room, looking in the drawers and finds clothes that were a size too small for her. The room was trashed, and it looked like its occupants left in a hurry. Jaclyn also decides to take a shower, hoping that it wouldn’t be too loud for anything to hear her. She turns on the water, trying to savor every moment, knowing that this would probably be the last time in a while. Steam wafts up from the curtain, and all the toiletries were left here. She strips away her jumpsuit, clinging to her skin from all the sticky blood. Her whole body was covered in blood from her attackers. The scratch on her chest was healing well too, and it dawns on her like an idiot. She could turn too. She didn’t even realize the scratch was there, and she basically slaps her forehead. She was a hypocrite, but she felt fine, and maybe even better with her spoiled shower. The wound didn’t look infected, but there was so much blood covering it, that you could only see the darker shade of blood from the scab. They were shallow and small too, and that wasn’t really worrying. What if you’re infected though? A voice nagged in her mind like a fish on a hook. Jaclyn felt like she was being overdramatic. But she didn’t want to die tonight, and it was always safe than sorry. Jaclyn hops in the shower, trying to shake her mind that it wasn’t convinced she was going to die tonight. And, she needed to see the wound thoroughly. Jaclyn cleans herself, the water dripping down looking like watered down blood. There was shampoo, and judging from the clothes and shampoo scent, it looked like a woman lived here. Jaclyn was lucky she picked the right room to have all the essentials to cleanliness.

Jaclyn cleans herself, and turns off the shower, remembering the hot water falling on her skin. She takes a deep breath, then steps out and wraps a towel around her body. She looks in her mirror again, wiping off the diamond droplets of warm water and steam. She looks at her face, her summer green eyes always catching her attention like a moth drawn to a flame. She also noticed that she had very light freckles on her cheeks, and despises them. She didn’t look pretty in her eyes, comparing to other girls. She looks at her scar that had a pinkish tint to it. She didn’t like it there, but always thought it made her look badass. Hating it and loving it was everything she thought about. Jaclyn turns away from the mirror and looks at her chest, the scabs soft because of the moisture. She looks at them, then turns away, fear making her look at them again, but the second time she resists.

Jaclyn goes out of the bathroom and sees Tai sitting on the bed, Chris nowhere in sight. “Hey,” Jaclyn says, water dripping from her hair and onto the dirty carpet. “My turn,” Tai says, getting up from the bed and taking some clothes with her, closing the bathroom door behind her. Jaclyn liked her, despite the situation they were in. Jaclyn rummages in the chipped drawers to find some decent clothes, finding a pair of jeggings and a simple T-shirt. She looks at her feet before putting on socks, inspecting if they were cut. Her left foot had some shallow cuts, but the cuts were already closed. She throws on some socks and a pair of shoes a size too big. But it will do, having something better than the bloody body suit.

Jaclyn was scared, and she felt like the idea of not having the world like it was didn’t really settle in. it didn’t really dawn on her. And now that she thought about it, her insides turned to liquid. She gasps. Everything was falling apart, and she acted like it would be replaced. Nothing was going to be replaced like the old world. This was something new, and that scared her half to death. Jaclyn felt a fear from the past welcome its way into her. It was the fear of something all too familiar. When she was always with Ian. When he struck the fear into her. When she got stabbed, that was when she feared for her life.

 

Jaclyn just turned 14. Her birthday was that day, which made it even worse in such a twisted way of perspective. Cattie baked a cake for her that day, and Jaclyn felt so happy. Ian was quiet in the corner of the room, eyes a silent fury like always. Cattie was now frosting the cake after she took it out of the fridge, and Jaclyn was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a glass of water. She was happy, but she knew she couldn’t show it. It was just a gut feeling inside of her when she got happy, being restricted to show any emotion when Ian was around. “Thank you, mom,” Jaclyn says after a fresh gulp of water. Cattie turns back and smiles at her as a sign of gratitude, smeared frosting on the side of her cheek. Jaclyn was getting eager at each moment now, and a smug smile reaches her face. She was happy her parents did this for her, and it made her feel special. Jaclyn takes a quick glance at Ian, his arms folded across his chest, and he shares the same glance with her. But they exchanged no words.

After a few silent moments, Cattie picks up the cake carefully and sets it on the table in front of Jaclyn’s gleeful face. “Ian honey? Why don’t you cut the cake?” Ian only grunts his affirmation. He gets up as Jaclyn sets down her half-full glass. The happiness inside of her kept bouncing inside, causing her to keep the smug grin on her face. Ian grabs a kitchen knife and pulls a chair next to Jaclyn. He starts cutting the cake quietly. Jaclyn looks at the fresh cake. A classic vanilla with white frosting and sprinkles. Her mother didn’t have any candles or had any interest in singing Happy Birthday, but that was okay with Jaclyn. Her mother just baked a cake for her, and that was a lot. Jaclyn had a sudden urge to take a fingerful of frosting. It looked so good and she hasn’t had a lot of sweets lately. Jaclyn couldn’t resist her childish temptation and reaches out to scoop frosting on her finger. But she doesn’t. Instead, she knocks over her glass, spilling water all over the table. It wasn't the sound of glass chipping on the table, it was the fear that sent her trembling. Everything she felt was all set back to zero in a blink. She felt numb inside, trying to prepare herself for the worst. Ian stops cutting the cake abruptly and yanks the knife out of the cake without a single word. Cattie stood still, fear making her tremble too. Sweat was covering her face and her eyes were wide and white. “Turn around, Jackie,” Ian whispers. His voice sounded soothing. Jaclyn’s body trembles and she scoots back her chair and catches herself from falling, her knees buckling once she stood. She looks Ian in the eyes, her lips trembling with sweaty fear. Her eyes flick back to the knife poised in his hand, the moist cake still stuck to it. Ian catches her change in gaze, and turns back, grabbing a napkin and cleaning the knife, until it was free of cake. This was the problem with Ian. He was so unexpected. You never knew if he was going to freak or stay fearfully calm. It was when he was calm that made times worse. Ian grabs Jaclyn’s shoulder gently, and the touch sent a whimper out of her. His eyes weren’t though. They were a blazing fury, and they had an obvious hatred for them.

Without warning, Ian’s facial features twist and his wrinkles wrinkle. He thrusts the kitchen knife in Jaclyn’s stomach, sending a pain that radiates from her whole body. It shook her down to her mind, and the pain was a black void that singed every muscle inside of her, causing her to fall to her knees. Jaclyn wheezes, blood coming out of her mouth. Ian stands and looks down at her. Cattie screams at what his actions caused, and she starts to cry, knowing she couldn’t do anything without getting herself killed first. Blood seeps from the wound, and Jaclyn wheezes to get air in her lungs. She inhales nothing though. Blood was splattered all over the cake and table, and dark red droplets were slowly expanding in a smoky way, the spilled water engulfing them entirely.

Suddenly, everything seemed a shade darker to Jaclyn. Her eyesight was failing, and her body screamed. The black void had fully engulfed her body, squeezing the life out of her lungs, replacing it with useless blood. It also brought that fear that whispered in your ear softly, though the words sent chills down your spine. Saying: ‘Your life is spilling out of you, and soon you won’t have anything else to give me.’ It was the inevitable time that was all slowly marching us to what we thought was a better future, but it struck us to our knees and cut our throats until there was nothing left to bleed but death itself. When fingers went dead, and eyes became dusty windows, looking into our past mistakes. And the reaper himself was there to see our last dying breath, waiting to see if there was a return in life. Then he would take the empty husks and drag them down to hell.

And he was waiting there, out of the corner of Jaclyn’s eyes, he was waiting for her, and when she tried to look, he would dance away from her sight. He was waiting for her to die. The corner of her eyesight went dead and black, and the world was spinning of unrecognizable walls and bright lights. Blank white walls blurred yelling, and she herself almost went from this world. Jaclyn felt dizzy, and the last thing she saw was an unknown man with a face mask on and white gloves, crouching over her body.

Jaclyn awoke with a scream. She was covered in a sheet of thick sweat, and she could smell her own body odor. She was not in her own clothes anymore, but a hospital gown. Memories fly by her head like boomerangs. All she remembered was Ian and his hatred for stabbing her in the stomach. But why was she here? She was hooked up to several machines that had healthy beeps, and several needles were strung from her arms. Jaclyn tries to sit up, but a searing pain in her stomach prevents her. She cries out in pain as it throbs continuously from the sudden movement. Tears roll down her cheeks, and the hiccups of sobs make the pain worsen. Jaclyn relives the moment like it was minutes ago, and she noticed her life didn’t flash before her eyes. The only thing that caused the pain to subside was the demon watching her. It was watching, and she swore it laughed. Because she was about to die, to become his forever and ever. To fall to her knees and wait for him to slit her throat. But she realized it never came. It never happened where no weapon but the man himself would cut her throat and watch her bleed quickly to death. He laughed at her, but why? Because the demon’s deed was already sealed. Because her punishment was to not be dragged down but to live. Because her life was a wreck, and that only led to Ian. And the realization was that the demon was Ian. He wanted her to live in this world. To suffer under his evil clutches and not escape like all the other empty husks. They couldn’t escape, and neither could she. Jaclyn starts to sob under realization and the pain in her stomach. Ian wanted her to live so that he could use her for his enjoyment. But how did she get in the hospital? The question still burned inside of her when a large man rushes into her room like an elephant. He was coated in a doctor’s uniform and his face was of fear. “Are you okay?” He asks. He rushes to her side and looks her up and down, Jaclyn only manages to nod through a faceful of tears. “Don’t move okay? You’re really bad right about now.” Jaclyn’s cheeks were warm and soggy, and her eyes were crusty. She wipes away at them, sending a heavy gasp from her from the sudden movement. “I said don’t move okay? You’re gonna rip something.” Jaclyn only grunts her affirmation. The man goes to a computer, obviously thinking she was fine, and types on it. “What day is it?” Jaclyn asks, hungry for questions after the pain subsided enough for her to speak. The man looks up from the computer, his rat-like nose raised in the air as if he was smelling something. He smiles with buck teeth, and Jaclyn thought he was part rat. “You were out for about 2 days after your mother rushed you here.”

“What about my father? Did he come?” The man tsks. “I’m afraid not, he never showed his face.” Jaclyn’s blood boils, but she dials it down to a simmer. She tries to act dumb. “What h-happened to me?” Jaclyn thought she was terrible at acting, but the man took the bait like cheese. “I’m so sorry Jaclyn. I’m afraid you received a fatal wound to your stomach. You were running out of our handy-dandy oxygen and luckily we saved you in the nick of time.” Jaclyn felt relieved besides the simmering blood inside of her. “Where’s my mother?” Jaclyn fires another question at him. “I’m Doctor Heng,” He says, avoiding her question. “You’re going to be staying in the hospital for a little bit with us so that you can recover. Your mother is at home, saying she was not going to be so clumsy again.”

“What do you mean?” Jaclyn was confused. “You don’t remember? Well, your mom and you were-“

“That’s okay, I remember now that you mention it.” Doctor Heng’s face lights up besides that fact that his patient was dying. She didn’t really need to know what excuse Ian made Cattie say. Jaclyn, very slowly, moves her arms. They felt frail and weak, to a point where she had to drop them. She was weak from all the blood loss, and she doesn’t know how much she lost. It hurt to be this weak and sweaty, smelling like BO, and feel like you want to slit your own throat instead of the demon. Doctor Heng looks at the computer, reads something, then looks down and types slowly. He was in his mid-fifties, and Jaclyn noticed he didn’t have a ring on his finger. She wondered why she looked at people’s hands to see if they’re married. Jaclyn felt a pang of sympathy for the man, the looks he was given would never get a girl, but at least he has a doctor’s degree. The pang of sympathy also takes down her boiling blood, changing her thoughts. She didn’t need to worry about Ian right now. He was a pain in the a*s, or more like a knife in your stomach.

Jaclyn knew one thing though. It was when Ian rarely showed his psycho personality was when Jaclyn questioned her love for him. At her age, she was always in arguments with herself, even to now before he showed what he was hiding. Just another stone on top of others that he carried on his shoulders. And yet he stood tall. How could someone even live like that? That was a man Jaclyn no longer knew or loved, but hated. All the years of debating wasted once he showed another piece of his life. His life was no mere than an ant that Jaclyn knew she was going to rip to pieces slowly. Let him bleed. Then she would patch him up again only to have him ripped up again. That was what he did to her. And there was going to be a time when the tables turn.

 

 

Jaclyn’s whole body still trembles, though the remembered black void loosens around her mind. Jaclyn lifts up her shirt, looking at her scar that ran from the top of her belly button to the right. It was long, but not wide, which meant her insides weren’t going to fall out. She pulls down her shirt and gets up, the sneakers she put on flopping as she went. She goes out of the bedroom and sees Chris on the couch, head in hands and elbows on knees. He doesn’t look up when she sits next to him. He must be going through some real s**t right now. Chris had his eyes shut, and it looked like he was praying but you couldn’t be sure. Jaclyn turns to her side, grabbing her backpack where she left it and unzips it. She grabs a water bottle, two spoons, and a jar of Nutella, glad that the prison house had decent snacks with them. Jaclyn grazes her thoughts, reminding her that she was starved and that the food might be poisoned, but she ignores it and zips up the backpack once again. She turns back to Chris, waiting. She didn’t dig in though, wanting to share the jar with him as if it were a picnic.

He notices her silence in presence, and looks up, eyes bloodshot and crazed. Dark rings circle his eyes, and his nostrils flare. He raises an eyebrow with tired eyes. Jaclyn offers the spoon to him, and he takes it with a slow motion. Jaclyn opens the jar of Nutella and sets it in the middle of the two, both immediately digging in the jar. No words were exchanged though, and Jaclyn didn’t seem to mind it. Once they were finished, Jaclyn closes the jar and leaves it on the table next to the couch for Tai to finish the rest. Jaclyn smiles at Chris when he looks at her, and he manages to smile back at her. Bruises covered his face, and they seemed severe. Chris had a black eye though, and his cut above his left eyebrow was scarred and healing. His neck was red from the chokehold, but that was about it from visibility. Jaclyn was also glad no teeth were knocked out in the fight. “It’s a lot.” Jaclyn breathes. It was a lot to handle. Getting knocked out, being dragged here, then waking up to see zombies milling around and eating everyone. The only thing now that mattered was to survive.

Chris just nods and looks away. She hated seeing him hurt, and that was somewhat his fault. He has to be able to fight better, and if he could life would be easier to survive. She just didn’t know what she could do. “How did you learn to fight?” She asks after thinking a bit. Chris returns his gaze with her. “I didn’t learn. It was just nature.”

“Then maybe I could teach you. If we ever run into danger, you know as well as I do is that we will. You couldn’t really handle those men.” Jaclyn didn’t have any issue pointing out he couldn’t handle the men, and she could see his jaw clench. “I could handle them, but there was two of them on me.”

“Exactly. No one is going to wait in line to try and kill you. They’re gonna swarm you, and you wouldn’t be prepared.” Jaclyn thought she hit a nerve, but he kept pushing his side. “I can handle multiple people.” He growls. Why was he acting so weird? “Dude, what’s wrong?” Jaclyn asks. She really didn’t need to handle Chris in such a difficult way. She just saved his life, twice, and now he’s acting all superior. Jaclyn just made a statement that he needed to improve his skill and he thought he was fine. And he even admitted that he doesn’t know how to properly fight. Chris’ jaw tightens. “Nothing is wrong, I just don’t like how you told me that I need to improve my skill.”

“Well, maybe you need to improve. You just got your a*s kicked and you think you’re alright. You weren’t. I had to carry your a*s through the woods and take the beatings for you. If it wasn’t for me, you’ll be dead by now.”

“No, I wouldn’t, I-“

“No, Chris. Why do you defend yourself and get all mad when I say something? It is the truth and you deny it. I know you know you couldn’t handle those men…” Chris struggles to say something, his eyes identical to Ian’s. “Why do you get so mad? Just because I didn’t tell you something or you didn’t get your way?”

“No, it was just-“

“Just what?” Jaclyn narrows her eyes and looks away. “Yes, it was that. I don’t know why you didn’t share something with me when you thought it was important.”

“Yeah well, that is just between Ian and me. It’s not your business. Just because I don’t share something with you doesn’t mean you have to get all pouty about it.” Chris stays quiet. He looks away from her gaze and sighs. Chris was just getting on her nerves and she didn’t need to handle that right now. Jaclyn gets up to see Tai coming out of the bedroom, dressed in fresh clothes. She points to the jar of Nutella and Tai rushes over to it, wrenching the lid off and digging in.

It was night already, and there were no signs of anyone out there. Jaclyn sighs then turns back to Chris. “I’m taking the couch and first watch. You can have bed if Tai doesn’t want it.” Chris doesn’t look at Jaclyn, but nods. She would let them two figure it out, but Jaclyn guessed Tai would kick Chris out of the bed.

Jaclyn goes to the window one last time, parting the curtain a sliver so that light doesn’t shine through. The streets were empty and charred, and Jaclyn hoped nothing would change.

But she was very wrong.

Author's Note

Once again, ignore all the problems you seek out with eagle eyes. Please tell me if this series is intriguing so far or it's pretty dull. So far, I see it as the latter...