The Amour series (Book 2): The Ashes of Amour

by Coushatta LaRue

  She thought to how long she mourned losing her ex and felt so foolish about it. Gritting her teeth, she tried not to feel embarrassed about it again. Yet Evan and Megan had loved one another. The way she had died was horrible and he had to watch it happen. Abby understood the pain of loss but she had never seen a loved one ripped apart in front of her. Abby looked back up at Kevin who was looking at her with kindness in his large eyes.

  “He lost his wife not too long ago,” Abby whispered not sure if Evan could hear or not, “And now this… he is not happy right now.”

  Kevin’s mouth moved but he did not say anything. He twisted a silver ring on his hand and Abby knew it was a wedding band. The look Kevin gave her was of understanding and calmness.

  “You both get some rest tonight. We have a long drive ahead of us.” He told them.

  Kevin rolled into his blankets and then gave Abby one last long look before he turned around.

  lip. She felt as if she should be feeling more grateful yet she felt emptiness inside. She wanted to cry and scream. Once she thought everything was going right everything went to hell again. They would have to try even harder to get to where they wanted to be. Abby grabbed her blankets and crushed them in her palms as she held back tears.

  She just wanted it to be easier. Abby gave Evan a long look and wished she could make his wounds feel better. Breathing heavily, she thought about how she had her own wounds needing mending. Abby laid down and wrapped herself in her blanket and Pooch crawled under them. Abby pulled the little tan wired hair dog closer and held her tight as tears fell from her eyes as she closed them.

  -Chapter five

  Sleep would not come to Abby. This happened most nights. The burning started at the tip of her toes then slowly traveled towards her sore scars. She knew that the pain was truly coming

  her thighs and up into her stomach. It twisted her scars and made it feel as if the Undead was biting into her once more. Abby sat up and shook.

  Abby rubbed her sleepy eyes and gasped as the pain dug into

  over her scars and pressed down on them. The pain was almost unbearable. Yet when she put pressure on it the burning pain eased some. She took her hand from it and breathed deeply. She

  at the plug-in heater to her left she stared at the redness inside. Her lips trembled. Abby felt like she was burning on the inside.

  Each night she felt as if her body was going to melt and turn into

  ash and embers. Abby looked at Jessie who was covered in four

  blankets. She wondered if Jessie felt the same pain or if it stops

  over time. Abby worried it never stopped. The way Kevin had

  spoken was as if she would never feel or be normal again. Abby

  placed her right hand on her right leg and squeezed her pants.

  Rubbing her eyes, she stared at her pinky. It was bent and twisted

  Abby stood and Pooch poked her head out of the blankets watching her. Abby put her boots back on and pulled her thick

  the pain. Walking forward her left leg buckled and she almost fell on Evan. Abby put both hands on the wall above him and slowly pushed herself straight.

  Pooch followed her and Abby turned back around and shook her head.

  “No,” Abby said quietly, “Go back to bed.”

  Pooch rolled on her back as she always did when she wanted her way. Abby shook her head and picked Pooch up then brought her back to her bed and sat her down softly.

  “You will stay here.” Abby glared as she whispered.

  Pooch licked her face then Abby walked away.

  Unlocking each lock slowly her heart pounded fearing someone would wake. Abby needed to get out of this room. Her scars were throbbing now and she was sweating. Not even thinking about the risk she was taking. Opening the door slowly she left the smallest of cracks in it and slowly walked down the dark dim hallway. The

  in the hallways ahead seem alive. Abby ignored them.

  Abby wondered why Kevin had not removed them yet then she understood. If they were removed, then others would know someone was inside. A strange sound entered her ears. Abby rubbed her scars and listened. The wind was hissing outside and

  then something else. Screaming, laughing, voices. Abby entered a

  broken windows.

  The ripped curtains were blowing around in the wind. Snow and ash blew into the room with the smell of smoke. Abby could hear the laughter louder now and walked towards a window and stood on the side of it peering out carefully. The building across The snow fall was heavy tonight and in the town, there were large

  past this and the wind hissing in her ears and stared at shadows

  and she wrapped her arms around her body as she stared. Something was out there and Abby knew it was not anything

  she swallowed hard. The pain in her scars was getting worse. She knew she needed to get back to the room.

  “Don’t worry. They never come this far anymore.” A small voice said from behind her.

  Abby jumped and stared at Jessie walking towards her.

  Jessie wore a thick coat and a beanie on her head. She had

  fear in her little eyes. Abby leaned on the window and stared back outside. She was shaking from cold, pain, and fear now. Husk were right there, so close to them, yet this girl said they would not come. Abby did not feel any better. She wanted to go back into the room and lock themselves in. Jessie leaned against the other side of the window and looked at Abby.

  your blood.”

  Abby narrowed her eyes then looked down at her left thigh and noticed she was clutching her pants above her scars. Jessie used

  She looked at Abby.

  “I remember how badly it was,” Jessie explained as she glanced

  out of the window, her mask tight on her face, “It felt as if the pain

  was tearing through my body. Ripping every part of me apart. I

  couldn’t sleep either. Because I always feared that I was being

  bitten again.”

  distance. She hoped the Husk had not burned their car or supplies inside. Jessie was right. Abby could not sleep because it felt as if she was being bitten all over again. Every night when she closed her eyes Abby saw that monster on top of her. Jessie crossed her arms around her toy and sighed.

  “Daddy gave me sleeping pills to help me sleep. It helped but that’s when the nightmares started. I would rather the burning than the nightmares of him.” Jessie said.

  “Who is him?”

  Abby asked as she looked from the outside and back at Jessie. The cold was creeping up her back now yet the burn from her scars was not feeling any better. Abby held back the tears as Jessie looked up at her.

  twin.”

  tiny little pale cheeks.

  “He was bitten the same day. I tried to patch him up the way

  dad had taught me,” Jessie started slowly, “I didn’t really know.

  They left us alone to go somewhere. It was supposed to be safe at

  home.”

  Jessie looked at her.

  “I tried to play with him in the yard but he was too sick.” She

  said shrugging sluggishly, “Even before he died I knew he was

  going to be one of them. I don’t know how I knew but I could

  feel it. Like how we feel it now. Daddy had tried to hide what was

  happening in the world from us. But Grandma watched the news

  when they weren’t there. We saw it.”

  Jessie paused and looked out the window and watched the snow

  fall. Her face was unreadable. The young girl seemed much more

  mature than she should be at her age. Abby could understand

  why. It made her sad knowing Jessie had gone through so much.

  It was not fair for children or anyone.

  “I laid with him when he died. I tried to play with him when he

  woke again. He didn’t seem to care about me then.” Jessie sighed, “They came home. Found us outside. Daddy won’t ever talk about it
now. It was not anyone’s fault but he doesn’t feel that way. I

  know he wants to help me feel better by helping me sleep.” Jessie put her hand into her pocket and pulled something out.

  In her palm were two tiny pink pills.

  “It hurts too much.” Jessie handed the pills to Abby and Abby

  took them, “Maybe someday it won’t hurt as much. But, right now

  I just can’t handle what I see.”

  Abby stared at the pills then looked into Jessie’s eyes. There

  was a pain in them that Abby did not understand.

  “Maybe you won’t have any nightmares.” Jessie put her mask

  back on and closed her eyes for a moment then opened them as

  she said, “Please don’t tell daddy. He still thinks I take them.” “I won’t,” Abby swallowed her voice weaker than she hoped, “I

  promise.”

  seemed bigger now. The laughter was loud and sharp and Abby wondered what they were doing. The wind howled outside and a mixture of ash and snow blew in. Abby rubbed the wetness from her face not sure if it was snow or tears. Jessie stood and sighed then started to walk away. She stopped and turned to Abby.

  Jessie turned and walked away. Abby pushed herself from the wall and stumbled. Her leg was weaker today than it normally was. It buckled and she collected herself quickly. The pain was still there yet now she felt a strange sense of hope. Abby gave the window one last long look and stared outside. The wind howled through the window and snow brushed by her. Abby could taste the smoke.

  Abby listened past the wind and crazed laughter coming from the town and closed her eyes. She could hear the screams of someone begging for their life. Abby opened her eyes lowering them and turned away from the window to follow Jessie.

  -Chapter six

  time in a long time. No dreams had come. No monsters in the dark. Abby opened her eyes rubbing them and yawned. The pain in her scars was gone. She sat up and the bright light in the room blinded her for a moment. Yet she could hear someone walking around the room.

  Focusing on what was in front of her she noticed that no one was in the room but her and Kevin. He was closing a backpack on his bed then looked back at her. He smiled. He was wearing

  night and his eyes were full of life. He grabbed a bottle of water from his bed and gave it to her.

  Abby drank deep as he walked away and grabbed something else from his bed. It was a black box like the one he had from last night. He walked towards her opening it and took a syringe out and a vial. He handed it to her and Abby took it in her hands confused. He noticed the confusion and took it from her.

  “We cannot take all of them so you won’t be able to take as much as you need yet. I’d like for you to take these two times a day. Just because you look like you need it. When you wake and then in the evening. You won’t have much of a change but it will

  syringe and went to give it to her then he paused, “Do you mind?” “I should probably question you more about this,” Abby

  pointed out realizing how foolish it was to trust someone this fast,

  “Though something tells me you aren’t a bad person.” Kevin smiled and she saw his age around his eyes. He took her

  arm softly and put the syringe into her largest vein and injected

  her with the serum. It felt cold and it made her twitch. He placed

  a Band-Aid over it and then gave her the box with a small smile.

  He stood up.

  “The Husk did not harm your car. Evan is trying to prepare it

  for us. We have a lot of supplies we are taking. This is going to be

  a long trip.”

  He walked away, towards the desk in the back, and picked up

  all the paperwork. He then put it in the backpack on his bed. “Can I ask you something?” Abby asked as she tossed her

  Kevin looked back then nodded.

  “Will I turn into one of them?”

  “The Undead?”

  “Yes,” Abby asked looking down at her hands nervously. Kevin was quiet for a moment. The silence made her heart sink.

  Abby looked up at him with joy in her eyes.

  “The virus stops you from turning into one of them. But, the infection is what keeps you weak and sick. It is trying to do what it is meant to. Kill you but the virus stops it and luckily will keep stopping it.” He told her as he put his backpack near the open door, “So we hope.” He added.

  She stared at him confused.

  “Virus and infection?”

  “Yes, sorry. I sometimes forget not everyone knows. You and everyone else who is infected was infected long before the Undead

  and you. Then children. Just like Jessie but unlike the other children or the bird’s no one noticed because it was dormant. The birds and other children showed signs of sickness but you did not.” Kevin rubbed his mouth then continued, “When the virus mutated causing the Undead the infection was still dormant inside of you until you were bitten. The pain you have been feeling is the infection changing your white blood cells. It is what keeps you from dying and turning. You see Scarlet does not want to turn. It knows the Undead will someday rot from death. It keeps you from turning.”

  Kevin breathed, “Scarlet saved you.”

  Kevin rubbed his face and took in a long breath. It was as if he hated talking about these things. He had a tired look in his eyes again and his body was tensed. Kevin shrugged as if it was no big deal suddenly and looked down at Abby with a forlorn expression. “At least this is what Jerome told me. I am sure the doctors and scientists at Autumn can explain things better. There were a few here who knew where it came from.” Kevin paused and

  really did not matter to me anymore.”

  tired but once in Autumn you will become stronger. It will take a long time and it will not be easy but you will not turn. You actually can’t even turn into a Husk.”

  He smiled reassuringly.

  Abby’s mouth was slightly opened and her eyes wide. She had no idea what to even think. People actually knew where it came from? It mutated? What was he speaking of? She had been infected all this time? Even before the Undead? Before the liquidations? Abby’s hands were shaking a she looked at them. How did she not notice? She only survived because she was already infected?

  Abby swallowed some more water pouring a little on herself. Kevin looked a bit saddened at her reaction then turned to look at something in the doorway. It was Evan. He was standing in the doorway with keys in his hands and staring at them as if he had just walked in on something horrible. Jessie stood by him with her mask on and teddy in hand with Pooch by her feet.

  Pooch ran to Abby and jumped in her arms licking her face. Abby gently pushed her down and stared at Kevin.

  “Who did all this?” Evan asked.

  Kevin looked at him then glanced at Abby and looked down at his feet.

  “Another time,” Kevin waved his hand before he eyed Jessie.

  Abby looked down sadly as she tried to stand. Kevin grabbed the backpack he was packing and Abby held the box in her hand tightly.

  “Oh,” Kevin said, “There is something I need to tell you.”

  Abby decided to stay seated. Feeling as if she was about to hear more bad news.

  “The uh Husk as you call them. The virus they released decays the mind just as it does with the Undead. Except it does not kill them completely and the decaying does not happen as fast. The virus is causing their bodies to shut down very slowly and their mind is decaying in such a way like,” He paused thinking then continued, “Dementia. They just slowly go crazy forgetting who they are and all forms of humanity. Sooner or later they end up killing themselves not meaning to. Maybe even rotting. So, I was told.”

  Kevin paused then added, “Most of them complain of voices in their heads and just lose it.”

  Abby stared silently as did Evan.

  “Anyway, the pain can be calmed. Not completely or anything worthwhile.” Kevin swallowed hard then looked at Jessie with a gri
m expression then sighed as he said, “The virus that stopped the mutated virus from killing you can stop the madness in their minds. But, only for a little while. Just a short calmness that puts them in a calm… almost sedated state. However, unlike the Undead they can’t sense you are infected. Only if you are bleeding.

  “If you are on your cycle please let me know. We will have to keep you hidden. They become crazed when they smell the infected blood. They just want the voices to stop.” Kevin breathed, “You are invisible to the Undead but not to the Husk. They want what is in your blood.”

  “Just for the voices to stop,” Kevin said very quietly with a deep sadness.”

  Abby looked over at Jessie who was staring at her. It made sense what she had said before. About thinking ones like them were all dead. Abby squeezed her hands shut and closed her eyes to breathe. Somehow the way he said that she was not invisible to the Husk made her heart race. It had not been that long ago when the Undead could see her. She was slowly getting used to the Undead ignoring her and becoming okay with it. Almost forgetting what it was like to be chased by them.

  Now it all made sense. The Husk that Evan and Abby had run into by the cabin all seemed to notice her and not care about Evan. She had been on her cycle then and they all seemed to go crazy when they saw her. Though she was never chased because Evan always killed them before they could even move. The world around her spun and she felt tears in her eyes as she let out a sad laugh.

  “Of course,” She choked.

  Evan walked over to her and put a hand onto her shoulder. Abby looked up at him with teary eyes and he grimaced. Abby forced a smile and shrugged.

  “It couldn’t be that easy,” She groaned, “I should’ve known better.”

  Abby hated how negative she sounded. Yet at that moment she felt more hopeless than she ever had. She may be invisible to the Undead but they were all dying. Leaving her in a world of evil humans and crazy Husk. Abby’s scars throbbed and she felt so useless suddenly. Sadness was setting in and her stomach twisted. Abby did not want to feel this way. It made her feel weak. Rubbing the tears away she started to stand.

  Evan helped her. Kevin was still staring at her blankly as Jessie walked into the room.