The Human Race (Book 2): The Fighting Chance

by Tahnee Fritz

  I shrug, thinking of the conversation I just had with my mother in my head, “I think I might.”

  “After what happened in the basement, we all thought you were dead. The vamp too. You stopped moving and we waited a good hour before anything happened. The girl, Katie, she opened her eyes and was herself again, not a vampire. She knew who she was and knew her father, she just can’t remember anything after being bit.”

  “Probably a good thing.” I say, not sure if I should be relieved by this news or not.

  Curing a zombie seems so easy compared to what will happen if I go for a vamp. I can’t pass out after I try to save them. Especially if there’s more than one at my doorstep. A dart gun would be a definite need in this case.

  “I hope you realize how valuable you’ve become.” Carter says, keeping his eyes on the table.

  I raise an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

  He takes a deep breath, “You’re the cure for whatever all of this is. You can end all of the bad things happening to the humans on this planet. Once word gets out, and I’m sure it’ll spread fast, people everywhere are going to want a piece of what flows in your veins. They can bring back those they care about and stop it from ever happening again. If you fall into the wrong hands, terrible things could happen to you and the world. Humans could start a war over you and we would have more than the zombies and vampires to worry about.”

  I guess I never really thought of things like that. Never thought of myself as being worth anything until finding out what I can do. I don’t understand why someone would want to use my gift as anything other than a way to save this planet. As Rose always likes to say, I am a miracle, whether I want to see myself as that or not. There’s no reason the whole world can’t enjoy this cure of mine. I can’t let someone take it away and use it for evil.

  “Someone could take over the entire world with you, Bridget.” Carter says, staring me in the eyes.

  Well, that’s certainly not a terrifying statement, “I understand and I’m not going to let myself fall into the wrong hands.”

  “Neither will any of us. Everyone here, those of us who saw what you did last night, are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure this new cure stays safe.” He states.

  “What exactly is the master plan on making sure that happens?” I ask.

  “We’re going to the city.” Carter replies. “It’s a three day hike from here back to Des Moines. They’d have the resources available to reproduce the cure in your blood in order to distribute it to every corner of the globe.”

  I nod, agreeing with his idea, “That’s a good plan and all, but how do you expect me to get through the gate? They don’t need to scan my eyes to know I’m not human anymore.”

  “We have proof.” He replies. “You showed us what you’re capable of doing last night. Seeing that would get anyone to believe anything that comes out of your mouth.”

  “That would work, but” I say, “I had to physically show everyone what I could do in order for you to believe it. It’s disgusting and horrifying and I’d have to bring one of those things with me to show them that the cure is real. You, more than anyone else, knows that is a bad idea. They’d kill me and the zombie right on the spot.”

  He nods, “This is true. It would be really bad if they don’t believe us or even want to try believing. There isn’t a perfect way for this plan to work. We just have to try and pray to God one of them manages to see what you can do.”

  I nod in agreement. Other than roaming the countryside, bringing every zombie and vamp I run into back to life, there really isn’t another option. I’d get pretty tired of biting all of those creatures and passing out after every vamp I touch. That and it’s really gross regardless if my stomach finds relief in eating one of those things.

  “When do we leave?” I ask.

  “Soon,” he says, “Adam is rallying the village and gathering supplies. The whole place is going, just like you and Dwayne wanted. I know this is the place that family came from and I’m actually surprised we found it. At least we’re saving all of these people and getting to do something even more amazing in the process.”

  “You got that right.” I say, “There’s something I want to tell you now.”

  He raises an eyebrow, “What’s that?”

  I run my fingers through my hair and think of Ryder, “Thank you for holding Ryder back after I was bitten. I’m glad he didn’t have to see what I went through after that.”

  He gives me half a smile, “I’d do it again, but you shouldn’t be thanking me for that.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “You should thank me for not shooting you in the head afterwards. I just couldn’t go through the verbal torture Ryder would give me for that.” He says.

  “Well, thanks for that too, I guess.”

  He chuckles and takes the last sip of his water. Carter very well could have shot me dead while I was standing with them at the overpass. I guess that’s why this world has irony. If I would have gotten killed back there, we never would have discovered the cure and this world still wouldn’t have a future. Good thing Carter and the others didn’t care about how much I’d suffer after being bit. I guess suffering is all part of the big picture.

  * * *

  Ryder is still sleeping and I plan on letting him stay that way for as long as he needs it, no matter how bad I want to crawl on that loveseat and cuddle with him. I can’t help it, he just looks so darn cute and comfy right now. I guess this must be the part of my love story Maggie likes the most. The parts where I actually act like a girl and express that lovey-dovey side of me. Maybe she enjoys knowing her little sister has a girlie side and not just the side that likes shooting a gun or being a tomboy. It’s just so weird to admit I have a girlie side. I can’t let too many people know about this. They might think less of me.

  I found my sunglasses sitting on one of the end tables next to the loveseat. Ryder must have kept those safe for me after I passed out. He’s such a good guy to keep around. Always makes sure I have what I need even when he doesn’t know why I need it. Carter found his way outside after our little conversation. He’s going to talk to Adam and help all of them get ready for our journey.

  My feet carry me through the short hallway in the house until I find the bathroom in a small room on the right. It’s darker in here than anywhere else in the house because there’s no window. Just the depressing, moldy shower and the yellow sink to match. I’m not sure where the toilet has run off to. There’s a place for one and the pipe it’s supposed to connect with, it’s just not here anymore. I don’t plan on asking what happened because, let’s face it, that’s a waste of time and the answer might be disturbing.

  The mirror takes up half of the wall above the sink. An open medicine cabinet hangs next to it and all the shelves are empty. I ignore it and focus only on the girl staring back at me. A good part of me wishes I wouldn’t be seeing those metallic eyes and the porcelain skin in the reflection. My hair that is still so messy and wild, yet softer to touch than it ever has been. Sure, I’d miss those few things, but I miss the girl who used to be looking back even more.

  I miss the ugly brown eyes that proved me to be human. The hair I hated wearing down because it always got in the way. I got so used to having a ponytail I thought that bump in my hair would be permanent. My skin wasn’t so soft but there also wasn’t dried blood all over my clothes and under my fingernails. It’s only been a week, or two days depending on how we’re counting, and I feel like I’ve been this way forever. Being human seems like a lifetime ago and it will take another lifetime to get used to admitting that I’m not anymore.

  If only there was a way I could have gotten myself prepared for being this new thing roaming the earth. My dad never told me what to do in this situation and I wouldn’t even know where to begin if he were here now. It’s hard for me to think that he’d probably kill me if he saw what I’ve become. I don’t think dad could look at me the same anymore. I’m not his little girl like I
used to be.

  I can’t eat food or drink water or even be out in the sun anymore without it causing me some kind of pain. Forcing myself to do those things isn’t possible no matter how much I wish it were.

  I have to quit thinking of the things I’ll never have again and go on with the present. I know my dad is gone and I’ve had a year to move on from that. It sucks day after day being the only person left in my family, but I am still here. I’m alive and able to survive with the added bonus of helping thousands of people in the process.

  I take the sunglasses and slide them over my nose to cover my eyes. The metallic hue disappears and I actually look human again. Despite the fact that no one wears sunglasses anymore and I could be the only person on the planet who has a pair. At least I can roam this place looking stylish.

  The house is quiet and Ryder is still snoozing on the couch. His breathing is all I hear as I make my way to the front door. He’ll be alright by himself and I’ll make sure I’m easy to find when he wakes up. I just want to take a few minutes to be alone in this place and see the people who live here and the people I saved last night. I grip the doorknob and twist it, pulling the door open. The sun is bright and it takes my eyes a quick moment to adjust, even with the shades on.

  I close the door quietly then jump down from the porch. At the house across the street, an older couple is sitting on a porch swing, rocking back and forth. I see the grimace on the old man’s face when he spots me while his wife smiles and waves. I nod to her and head for the middle of the street. A small group of women is in a vegetable garden harvesting whatever foods they can before it’s too late. I can smell the sweat protruding from their pores and I force myself not to let the frenzy begin and walk on.

  A few kids, teenagers and younger, are in one of the driveways playing basketball. The pole is rusty and the net is missing from around the hoop, but the kids are having a great time playing outside. There’s even an audience, sitting on old lawn chairs, laughing and having a good time.

  I stand at the end of the driveway and stare at them. There was a time when I would have had fun playing ball with my brother. We didn’t have a basketball hoop, but we’d spend hours in the backyard playing catch and hitting a baseball to each other. Those were good times.

  One of the kids eyes me from her seat in the audience and shouts, “Hey look, it’s that woman who brought those people back to life.”

  The ball stops dribbling and all of the kids turn their eyes to me. I feel out of place all of a sudden. Like I shouldn’t be standing out here in the open watching these guys have fun with their game. I half expect them to shout at me to leave or start throwing things at me. I’m a freak to them, a monster to some, I’m sure. Instead, I’m greeted with smiles and talks of praise. They’re happy, even though they’re young and might not remember what the world was like before the original cure came along. They cheer for me, telling me how amazing it was that I saved a handful of people and gave them a life again.

  It should be great to hear all of this coming from the kids. I should smile and thank them for being this happy. I guess I’m still a bit confused and have no clue what to do. There’s really only one thing I’m glad about all this, none of them are afraid of me. That alone brings the forced smile to my face as I back away from them.

  They go back to their game while I go back to walking down the middle of the street. Why can’t I be happy about this like everyone else seems to be? Why is there something so wrong with my mind that it cannot comprehend the ability to grateful that a cure has finally been brought to the human race? Why is my life just one big unanswered question?

  I walk to the spot where the bonfire was held last night. The picnic tables and a few scattered chairs are still setup and some are filled with people. A horse-drawn wagon is being filled with food and supplies and more ammo. Three men are busy loading it while some of the women are getting bags packed and food prepped for the trip. Of the few people sitting in the chairs, I spot four of the five I brought back to life. George and his father, Greg, and two other humans surround them, laughing and smiling. Talking about memories and what they’ve missed. The woman with brown hair, the zombie I brought back last night, sees me standing a few yards from them and she stands from her seat and walks up to me.

  The others take notice of this and are quick to get to their feet with smiles on their faces as they head my way. This is the sort of thing that always makes me nervous. Meeting new people normally is, but I saved these people and I’m having issues about everything right now.

  “You’re Bridget.” The brunette speaks with a smile, “I’m Annah. I’ve been waiting all morning to get to talk to you and I wanted to tell you how thankful I am for you. You saved my life.”

  “You remember your name?” I muster the courage to ask.

  She nods, “Yeah, we all do actually.”

  I glance to Rose and she shrugs, “I guess your cure works differently after the first person, but my memory is slowly coming back.” She says.

  The older man with grey hair, the zombie who tried attacking Ryder first, steps up and says, “Name’s Hank and I just want to say that you are the best thing to happen to this world. People everywhere are going to be more than grateful when they hear the news of your cure. Thank you for giving me my life back.”

  Katie, Adam’s daughter, rushes up to me and smiles. She’s giddy and bubbly, reminding me of someone I’ve already met and really miss right now.

  “I might not remember much from when I was a vampire, but I remember how you saved me last night. You were in my head for the shortest moment and I’ll never forget it. You somehow ripped the vamp out of me and gave me back to my dad. You truly are a blessing in disguise and I hope you realize all the great things you’re going to do from here on out.” She says.

  Yeah, she’s exactly like Sherry, right down to the blonde hair. She talks fast and sounds happy all the time. I could use my best friend right about now. All of these great things being said to me are starting to be too much for me to take and Sherry is good to have around in situations like this. She could make me feel more comfortable around everyone.

  I stare at each of their faces and my mind is starting to wander. I’m jealous of each and every one of them. They all have their human lives back. They can walk around without being second guessed about what they are.

  What do I have? Night visions and a few new abilities that make me stronger and faster. Not to mention my disgusting new appetite.

  Where’s my cure?

  Rose steps closer to me and raises an eyebrow, “Bridget, are you okay?”

  I guess there’s a pained look on my face to match how I’m feeling inside. I don’t want to be around these people anymore. I can’t feel happy for them when all I want is to be one of them again. To be human.

  My feet start moving backwards, inching myself away. The smiles on their faces begin to fade and I shake my head back and forth.

  “I have to go.” I say, quietly.

  I spin around and walk faster to get away from them. The kids in the driveway start cheering for me again and I pick up the pace. I’m finding hard to handle the acceptance and praise coming from all these people. I can’t take it anymore and I need to be alone. I need some time to think about where my life is headed if I’m the miracle the world has been waiting for.

  There’s got to be something wrong with me other than the obvious issues I’m having. If I can’t accept their gratitude over what I’ve done for them, how will I be able to do the same for the entire world without feeling some sort of jealousy? When all of this is said and done and the cure has spread throughout the globe, I’ll be the only thing left without a heartbeat.

  How will I ever be able to live in this world if I might never have a cure?

  * * *

  I don’t stray too far from the village. I figured too many people might get really upset if I took off and never came back. Ryder is among the top two of those people. I don’t really want to leave hi
m again anyway.

  There’s an old park not far from the houses, amid the rubble of what’s left of this small city. There isn’t much left to this place. The swings are broken off and the chains are rusty. The merry-go-round hasn’t moved in so long the wind can’t even move it anymore and there’s a decent sized hole halfway down one of the curly slides. Also, there’s a few junk cars parked around here. One is crashed into a tree and two more look like they were left in their spots in a hurry. Probably has something to do with the vampire and zombie apocalypse going on.

  I stand in the middle of all this mess around me, the weeds and grass are tall enough to reach my knees. My mind is so befuddled. Being around those people isn’t good for me right now. It’s better to let them be happy without me being there to ruin everything.

  Things seemed to make more sense before I was bitten. My mind wasn’t all wrapped around not wanting to hurt another human being or trying to figure a way out of this mess. A way to get the world back on track. I became that way the day my life was taken from me and I can’t find a way to be happy about it. I can’t smile about bringing those few people back from the dead.

  They’re all giddy and full of life now and all I can think about is how lucky they are to be alive again. To be able to do normal things that normal humans can do. They can love each other and touch each other without getting the constant desire to taste their flesh and blood. I might be able to love someone as well, but it’s not the same without that special feeling a kiss can give you. There’s no saying what I’d do to Ryder if our lips met and I’m not willing to risk it just to find out.

  A sigh escapes me as I lean against a car crashed into the tree. I wish this new life of mine was easier to deal with. Being the cure for all things horrible is great and all, but no one told me how hard it would be to go through all this jealousy towards the ones I save. I wish my dad was here to help me through this. He’d tell me to buck up and be happy that I’m able to give the world what it needs.