Asunder

by Tonnie Johnson

  "You shouldn't have killed him." Hazel lamented.

  "What the fuck?" Varick exclaimed confused.

  "He's the only person who truly knows what we are, someone with a plan."

  "A plan? He was crazy. He wanted to infect the world."

  "That probably would be for the best."

  "You're not serious."

  "I am. Varick, when or if this whole thing blows over what do you think will happen to us? We'll be hunted down, killed, thrown in labs."

  "We already were, and we came out of it okay, alive and well."

  Hazel looked away, doubt in her eyes.

  "I said I'll take care of you. I meant it. Anybody thinks they're gonna throw us in a lab will have to take me down first, cause I would have to be fucking dead first."

  Hazel was about to speak when Luc rose, eyes fully turned a bloodshot with silver iris.

  Luc walked over to Hazel patting his chest pocket and feeling moisture and glass. "The second syringe..."

  "Luc." Hazel cried.

  "Get her out of here." Luc gasped from a sudden searing rushing pain.

  Hazel held him when he stumbled, helping him toward Reiniger's large black elegant chair. "Luc..." Hazel wiped away her tears.

  Luc touched her face. "Hazel, I've never had a chance... I've always wanted to tell you."

  "What is it?" Hazel urged him to pace himself.

  "I'll always be looking down on you, sister." He looked into her eyes for any recognition of his final word.

  "Sister?" She breathed in shock.

  "Our dad wanted to tell you but, you know how complex these things can be."

  "Our dad... You're my brother?" Hazel repeated again almost like a chant and wrapped her arms around his neck, her mind filled with all of their moments together, the times he cheered her up whenever she was feeling low, their goofy dance, she wished she could rest on the roof surrounding like those tall fields of grass, the sweet mixed with the bitterness of losing him now. A stream of tears flowed, this was the happiest and saddest day of her life.

  "Ow." Luc laughed.

  "I'm sorry!" Hazel pulled away checking where she may have hurt him.

  "I don't feel like I'm dying." Luc used the table to stand and felt a small section give way. "What is this?" He pressed the small button underneath which opened the large painting on the far wall of a maiden running through the dark forest pursued by shadow wolves.

  "Are you okay?" Hazel focused on Luc but not only was he standing but also moving toward to the open painting.

  "He looks okay to me." Varick threw up his hands as if to say 'he's fine.'

  "I feel fine... I still feel sick but I don't think it's life threatening." Luc assured Hazel who followed him like a mother hen. The sclera of his eyes were turning a fading pinkish color.

  "I can put my ear to the safe and you turn the dial." Hazel said knowing cracking this safe was what he wanted. She pressed her ear to the cold metal as Luc worked the dial with shaky hands.

  A small sound drew Varick to Jona in the center of the room, she was no longer still, and was trying to turn on her side. "Hey, she still breathing."

  The safe clicked open but Luc ran from the safe back to Jona who struggled to her feet. "My head."

  Luc held her up before she slumped to the floor. "Are you okay?! I thought..."

  "I thought I was dying, it felt like I was." She swallowed hard but her throat was sticky and dry.

  "Are you cured?" Luc hoped beyond hope it was true.

  "I don't feel so good, but I don't feel like anything's changed, maybe it takes a while?" Jona rested on Luc.

  "Am I the only one who didn't forget she tried to kill us?" Varick stood a small distance away on guard though you wouldn't think so by how he stood in a casual position with his hands planted on his hips.

  Luc glared at the young man. "And I haven't gotten how you took my sister and brought her here."

  "I wanted to come here." Hazel watched the group from afar.

  "Is he dead?" Jona looked to Reiniger sprawled on the floor, pieces of fabric from his torn clothing littered about.

  Luc clutched his stomach feeling a sharp pain in his bowels but steadied himself.

  "Your eyes are still changed, though the whites are pinkish now." Jona stroked the stubble forming on his cheeks.

  "I'm not losing my mind... that's something."

  "But you're not Eurilian."

  "If not Eurilian then what are you?" Hazel pondered the meaning behind this.

  "I wish I could say I wasn't infected but I feel... off... I can't explain," Luc struggled to make sense of it all.

  Jona eyed Hazel dangerously, but the girl didn't flinch. "You... you shouldn't have interfered."

  "You were prepared to help Reiniger take me to get what you want." Hazel spat, her fists balled.

  "And I was prepared to live with that choice, Reiniger wouldn't have hurt you, you heard him, he needed you."

  "Hazel, I would have never allowed that to happen." Luc tried to ease the growing tension between the two women.

  Varick walked away to the safe, if the women wanted to fight it out he would not stop them though if he had to, he would and then that would open a whole new can of worms with her now brother, he figured it was better to focus on stealing from his now deceased father. "If it's money we're stealing then why wait?" He shuffled through the contents of the safe and stuffed a wad of cash into his pocket. Varick sighed taking out several pictures of Steven. "He had pictures of Steven in here?" He scanned the birth records and other official documents. Hazel, Luc, and Jona approached. "Our house address, my mom's..." He caught himself..."Her number, everything. That piece of shit knew where I was this entire time." Varick shook his head but a part of him wasn't surprised.

  "Lying is what he always does best." Jona spat. "Any information in there about our son?" She said hopeful that perhaps this time he had spoken the truth and hating herself for giving in.

  "Patient Jona Mercer." Hazel read the birth records Varick set aside. "This is it."

  She passed the paper to Luc who read it over. "Male... so he was born."

  "Varick." Hazel looked to Varick who passed the rest of the paperwork along.

  "Seems my little brother... well... Steven is your son."

  "Steven?" Jona repeated grabbing the small stack and searching through. "Who is this Martha?!"

  "The woman who raised Steven and me." Varick answered. He busied himself by looking at a folder which seemed to pertain to himself. He felt guilty though he couldn't understand why, it wasn't like he kidnapped him, he didn't wrong these people but he felt somehow responsible. "Martha was getting paid to keep us, naturally." Varick scoffed.

  "Living with the dregs of society, succumbing to peer pressure, and so on. He wanted to see how well you faired mentally, emotionally, and physically to that of regular humans." Hazel finished scanning the documents. "It was a test."

  "Fucker!" Varick squeezed the bridge of his nose. He didn't know who to rage at or if he wanted to at all.

  "This boy... Steven." Luc looked to Varick. "Where is he?"

  "He was downstairs in the lounge preparing to leave with those people I thought were his parents."

  "We have to go!" Jona cried.

  "He's most likely gone by now." Varick added. "His father... the guy with him said they had a safe house in Russia. Here's the address. I don't know if it's real but I think I scared them enough for them not to fuck me over." He passed along the card given to him.

  "Then let's go get him!" Hazel said ready to leave this cold place behind.

  "No." Luc replied plainly.

  "What?" Jona pulled away.

  "Jona and I will go after him." Luc finished.

  "You don't want me to help?" Hazel said startled. "I hate saying this, but he knows Varick not you, if we go we may lessen the damage."

  "Hazel." Luc cupped her face. "I shouldn't have tried to coddle you. I was overprotective because of my guilt, but, the way you foug
ht and survived, you're amazing. That's why I want you to go and remain as off the grid as possible." He ignored Jona's shocked expression as she stared up at him, and that was why he wanted Hazel separated from him. He felt different, like his blood burned hot in his veins, a hunger to protect and control what was his. It frightened him and excited him at once.

  "But he's dead." Hazel argued gesturing to the body on the floor.

  "But he wasn't the only one and if more find out what they can get from you, then they might come after you." He thought of the tall bald dark-skinned man.

  "I'll protect her." Varick chimed in, not at all liking the sirens in the distance.

  Hazel wiped the clear liquid from her nose, her eyes stung. "How will we find each other again?"

  "I have contacts still, and I know you."

  Hazel laughed. "You do. Then I'm not worried."

  "Keep him safe when you find him. Steven." Varick said but this time it wasn't a warning.

  "We will." Luc held Jona close. She lingered on Hazel for a moment as Luc guided them out the door.

  "So, what was that?" Varick looked down at Hazel.

  "I think he's trying to keep me away from Jona.... wait... she's alive?!" The thought of Luc's so called dead wife in front of her, walking, talking, breathing, and changed had just struck her like a hammer.

  "I don't want to think about everything that happened, I don't even know what day it is."

  "Me neither." Hazel laughed.

  "Let's get the fuck away from here."

  Epilogue

  The heat was dry and unforgiving but the community made due. There were twenty men and women all together and about six children. The worn and dusty motel. The R and the L hung from the sign leaving it to read the ominous BATES MOTEL. But regardless of their feelings about the sign, the area was more or less safe. They were out in the open, miles from the nearest city. Jaggers and other strange creatures were easier to recognize and easier to handle around their fortified compound.

  Europe was near ravaged by the aggressive infection which spread like wildfire. Canada’s major cities fell, and Asia’s large cities were just now dealing with the outbreak.

  The three pickup trucks worth of supplies arrived on time, the party scavenged for several days and as always hopeful loved ones and parasites desperate to see what they could use greeted them upon their return.

  They parked the trucks and the men and women that made up the small band greeted their families and friends. Varick got out of the driver’s seat, leaving the keys under the visor and headed to room six.

  He stripped himself of his white T-shirt and jeans. The removal of the thick stompers was much relief after roaming the area for supplies. He removed his sunglasses.

  He slipped under the covers to the warm sleeping figure at the foot of the bed and she rubbed her foot across his hard chest.

  "You’ve been sleeping a lot lately."

  "Yeah." She replied groggy. Hazel grabbed his foot and placed his toe in her mouth tasting it. "Your feet tastes like dirt."

  Varick performed the same action. "And yours tastes like you’ve been lying in bed all day."

  "I have." Hazel smiled. "Varick, I have to tell you something."

  The distress signal blared throughout the small lot like a bomb warning siren...

  "What the hell is it now?" He groaned annoyed.

  He got out of bed with Hazel behind, each of them slipping on clothing along with the shades to hide their eyes; they grabbed their weapons before rushing outside.

  Joel, the old bar owner with salt and pepper hair and a rough mean demeanor marched to the couple. "Those people we picked up are now a bunch of fucking Jaggers!"

  The people screamed, and the blood coated the sands. The monsters ran rampant throughout the small compound slaughtering those in their wake. Everyone gathered, and they ushered the children to the safety of the upper rooms each member following the long-standing protocol that kept the band of survivors alive. They dispatched the random attack and piled the bodies of the Jaggers for burning.

  Kelly, a woman with red curly red hair strode toward the man in charge. "Joel, How the hell did this happen?! I said not to pick up anyone else!"

  "They were fine and infection free. I swear it! I tested them myself!"

  "Then maybe something is wrong with your methods."

  Robbie approached, a man in his twenties with short hair and brown eyes. "They got about four of us, including two of the kids. Ricky and Noah. They were playing by the gate."

  "God dammit!" Joel exclaimed.

  "If they were infected, they would have turned before we met them." Kelly said trying to make sense of this situation.

  "We can’t stay here anymore. We have go further out. Far away as much as possible. I’ll figure something out, in the meantime… test everyone again!" Joel ordered.

  Varick and Hazel stepped away toward their room.

  "What are we going to do? We got in without a test but I don’t see how we can avoid it now." Hazel whispered concerned.

  "I know." Varick said trying to think. "It's the big guy's fault for dropping those test kits around survivor camps." he sighed.

  "Michael's is only doing what he thinks is right."

  "I’ll go before you. They’ll test me, see I’m infected and maybe I can distract them into not testing you. Put the blame all on me or something."

  "Absolutely not. They won’t trust you or me, anyway. We might as well just go."

  They watched Kelly call the camp together as she sat up her table and equipment.

  "Yeah, we should go then." Varick agreed.

  "Okay. I’ll get my things."

  Joel approached Varick and Hazel's room and cracked open the door. "You two haven’t been tested at all if I recall. I know you two have contributed a lot to our group which is why I never pestered you about it, but to be safe…"

  "I understand. Actually, we were thinking about leaving."

  "Would it have to do with what happened?"

  "It’s just that it’s time for us to move on." Varick replied.

  "I can’t say I’m not disappointed. I have an idea, there’s an area about a good one hundred miles from here called Camp Hope. It’s turning into its own desert city. They say it’s safe there and they’re looking for people to join and expand it. If our group can make it there, I believe we will be able to make a real life there."

  "Camp Hope, huh?" Varick nodded. "We'll see."

  "Good and get that test."

  Varick watched the girl gather up her weapons and change clothes. He couldn’t bring himself to do it, to subject her to a life of constantly running away. He left the room and ran over to Kelly.

  "Test me, now." He said to her

  "Yeah, Joel told me he wanted you and Hazel tested first. Sit down, sir. To be on the safe side I will also give you an airborne test for spores. It could have been on your clothing or what have you so bear with me, please." She explained almost playfully.

  "No problem."

  Kelly grabbed the test kit. "I don’t know what we would have done for testing if the PHA haven’t dropped these things near our camps. I don’t know much about their message, Pro Human Alliance. But every bit helps. Okay blood first." The tiny needle pricked the skin, and she sucked the blood onto the test strip then set it aside. "Now spore test." She turned her head as she waved the meter about to watch the test strip turn a deep purple. "Oh my god." She looked at Varick then at the meter. "It’s you." She stood and removed the meter from in front of Varick’s face. She called for Joel and Varick watched Hazel who stood at the door to their room.

  "What?" Joel asked jogging toward them, the sun was murder and he didn't want to move around anymore than he wanted to.

  "He is infected on a massive scale."

  "I know." Varick stood, sitting felt too vulnerable.

  "If you knew then. Wait. If you’re the cause of this, then we all would have been turned months ago."

  "True, if we were no
t all immune to the second strain already. There are people out there who cloistered themselves during the first attack." Julia said in disbelief.

  "What the hell are you?" Joel grew angry. "Let me see your teeth! I don’t understand how?"

  "I don’t know what he is, but Varick. Your breath is blowing out invisible spores, spores that we are breathing in." Kelly stepped back.

  "Sonofabitch!" Joel yelled.

  "Wait. What if this is what we need?" Kelly wanted to remain calm though she was stricken with fear.

  "What we need?" Varick raised a brow.

  "A cure? Or at least a way to adapt. Out of the months he has been here not once did he ever turn into anything strange. What if his body as learned to adapt and change to this?"

  "You’re not seeing the big picture." Joel fired back. "If he is blowing out spores, then it means that the people we brought here were infected by him!"

  "Look. I was planning on leaving, anyway. I’m sorry. But now you know who did it." He walked away keeping his eyes on the two of them.

  "Remove your shades." Kelly followed.

  "No." Varick walked off toward Hazel and entered their room.

  "Why did you do that?" Hazel punched his chest.

  "They found their culprit and it really turned out to be me."

  "What do you mean?"

  "They did a spore test. Apparently, I’m just leaking the infection out of my fucking mouth."

  He plopped down on the messy bed.

  "Would I be as well?"

  A knock on the door took them from their conversation and Hazel answered. Kelly pointed the machine. "I’m sorry but we have to be sure. We’re giving everyone a breath test and it’s better to start here."

  Hazel breathed into the machine. "Negative. You’re okay."

  "I am?" Hazel said shocked.

  "Yeah." she said resetting the machine and walking away.

  Hazel closed the door. "Maybe this is something special to males or you?" she turned to Varick.

  "I don’t know."

  "Well, I’m still ready to go."

  "I think you should stay with them. There’s this place called Camp Hope, they’re looking for more people to join them. It’s one hundred miles out. Joel is planning to take everyone there."