by Janie Marie
Arthur nodded to the others. “Good, let’s go. Lucan, Dagonet, keep guard and assist Tristan. Consider using the neighboring house as a separate post.”
David looked at the two men. They were Arthur’s most trusted guards, and he’d known Dagonet since he was a boy.
Dagonet smiled at him. “We will fight to the end for her, my prince.”
Lucan nodded. “Be safe, Sir David. We will guard her well.”
David nodded stiffly and walked away, praying he wasn’t making a mistake. He had confidence in his comrades, and even Jane. She had, after all, kept herself and her family alive this long.
Opening her eyes, Jane realized it must already be mid-afternoon. She rolled over and let out a painful groan. Everything hurt. Her entire body ached more than she had ever known it to. She shivered and goose bumps rose across her arms, but she didn’t dwell on her discomfort when she heard Nathan giggling in the distance.
If he was happy, she could suck up the pain.
Jane sat up, gasping as pain shot throughout her body. Her arms burned and shook from the effort she’d used to push herself up, but she toughed it out and made her way to her bathroom.
She didn’t bother going to the sink to wash her face but went straight for the shower in hopes that the hot water would relieve her aching muscles.
As the scalding water beat down across her neck and back, she shivered again. Her teeth chattered, and she clamped her mouth shut to keep from making the irritating sound. She was so tired. The simple act of washing her body was draining her, and she was starting to feel lightheaded.
Jane decided to give up on the warm shower, turned off the water and got out. She wrapped a towel around herself to dry off before stepping out into the chilled bathroom. As bad as she was feeling, she knew she must look awful and didn’t even want to see her reflection. So, she grabbed her tooth brush without glancing in the mirror and entered the attached walk-in closet.
Getting dressed was even worse than bathing. Her muscles trembled like she’d just had the workout of her life, but she finished, and quickly spit her toothpaste into the sink on her way back out. All she wanted to do was get back to bed and sleep off whatever was wrong with her.
Jane stepped out of the bathroom and found Jason changing. He was midway through pulling his shirt down when he glanced up at her. She was all set to walk past him, but she stopped as the color drained from his face, and he stumbled back, grabbing the small hatchet he’d gotten in the habit of keeping on himself.
Confused by the fearful look on his face, Jane gave him a “what the hell is wrong with you” look, but he continued to stare at her with his hand clenched tightly around his hatchet.
“What?” she asked.
Jason shook his head back and forth as though trying to make sense of what he was seeing. “Your eyes,” he said in a shaken voice.
She had no idea what he was talking about, but she reentered the bathroom and walked to stand in front of the mirror. What she saw had her frozen.
Red.
The bottom half of her left eye was a mixture of pink and blood-red busted blood vessels. She looked at her right eye and was terrified to see more than half of it was red, too. Tears blurred her vision. She raised her hands to touch her face, earning a fiery shot of excruciating pain up her arm.
Jane turned back to Jason’s horrified expression. “I wasn’t bitten, I swear! I don’t understand.” Her hands shook as tears fell to the carpet, and she frantically looked over herself. She needed to prove that this wasn’t happening.
Jason gasped. “Your arm.”
Turning her left arm every which way, she finally saw the small scratches along her forearm. Red lines were faintly visible beneath her pale ivory skin, but they were there, spread all the way up her arm.
Jane whipped her head back and forth, whimpering as Jason fell back against the wall.
“No!” she finally sobbed, and fell to her knees as she buried her face in her hands.
“Mommy?” It was Nathan on the other side of the closed door.
Jane snapped her head first to the door and then to her husband as she bit her trembling lip to hold her cry from spilling out.
Jason jumped to his feet, the hatchet still in his hand. He turned to look at her before cracking the door open. “Mommy’s not feeling good right now, buddy.” He took a calming breath and continued. “Go into the living room. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Nathan disappeared down the hall before Jason shut the door.
A tear rolled down his cheek as he turned back to Jane. “You can’t die.” He crossed the room and fell to his knees in front of her before wrapping his arms around her.
Jane began to cry with him but found herself caressing his hair. “Shh, it’s going to be okay.” He shook his head. Jane leaned back and took his face between her hands. “I’m going to go and get as far away as I can. Y’all won’t have to hear it.”
“No,” he said quickly, placing his hands over hers.
“It’s the only way.” She smiled as best she could. “I won’t let myself turn into one of those things, and I won’t let them hear me go.”
Letting out an anguished groan, he finally nodded. He pulled her hands from his face and held them, fingering her wedding band. He looked back up at her, his gaze moving all over her face.
He placed his cold hands on her cheeks and leaned forward. Kissing her forehead, he whispered, “I’m so sorry for everything.” He placed another kiss there. “I never meant to hurt you.” She sobbed now. “You are the best thing to ever happen to me. I love you so much.” He finished by placing kisses across her face and hair, avoiding touching her mouth.
When his last words sunk in, she broke down again and wailed, “I love you, too. I’m so sorry.” It had been so long since he had told her he loved her.
She didn’t know how long they sat there, but she finally leaned back. “I’m ready.” Giving him the best smile she could manage, she stood to her feet as Jason did the same. Neither moved to leave the room, and they simply faced each other before he pulled her against his chest.
“I love you,” she mumbled against his chest.
“I love you, too.”
He stepped back and took her hand. He hardly ever took her hand anymore, but he was taking it now so she could leave them.
She started to panic as she realized what she was about to do and tried to pull away, but Jason stopped her by giving her hand a gentle squeeze. It was a simple gesture she had wanted from him and now she finally had it. Only at the end.
WHEN JANE PAUSED after taking only a few steps from the hallway, Jason stopped and glanced over his shoulder. She felt him looking at her, but she could only stare into the living room where their children played quietly on the floor.
Natalie lined up her dolls in a row while Nathan drew a picture, neither aware of the sorrow their parents were suffering. Jane whimpered. This would be the last moment she would ever watch them do something so simple as playing—the last time she would see her babies.
Jason wrapped his arms around her trembling figure and whispered in her ear, “Stay here.” He left her there, but she didn’t look away from her son and daughter.
Memories flashed before her eyes of happier times: learning of her pregnancy and how scared but excited she was. The ultrasound that showed they were having not one but two babies. Then the excruciating delivery that resulted in two perfect bundles they would cherish for all time. Every birthday, every trip to the zoo, every cold, nightmare, cry, laugh, and kiss. The first time Nathan had finally called her mommy.
At the sudden caress from Jason’s hands on her cheeks, her memories shattered. She looked at Jason as he wiped her tears.
“Everything will be okay. We need to be strong for them, all right?” His raspy voice showed how much he was struggling.
She nodded repeatedly, knowing he needed her to be strong, too.
“Put these on.” He handed her a pair of her favorite sunglasses.
With a sad smile, she roughly wiped her tears and took the glasses from him so she could hide what she was becoming.
Jason smoothed back her still slightly damp hair as a shaky smile formed on his lips. She wished they had more time, but Jason took her hand and pulled her into the room.
She trembled with heartache as she sat on the sofa next to Jason. Neither of the two children even bothered looking away from their activities, and she and Jason sat there for an extra moment to watch them.
Finally, Jason cleared his throat. “Guys.” Nathan and Natalie looked up and between their parents with confused expressions. “We need to talk to you both.” His voice was stronger than before.
“Mommy?” Nathan asked with sad eyes.
Jane nodded yes, and Jason squeezed her hand. She’d never hear him call her that again.
“Baby, Mommy is very sick.” Jane’s voice cracked, and she stopped to take a deep breath as Nathan’s eyes widened.
“Like the people outside?” Natalie asked, darting her gaze between each family member.
Even though they were young, and Nathan had autism, both children were quite perceptive. They’d seen her mourn her best friend’s illness and death. She knew they understood the meaning of serious disease and what it could bring.
This time, Jason answered. “Yes. Like the sick people outside.”
“Are you gonna die?” Natalie cried out.
Nathan’s mouth dropped open. Natalie’s lip began to tremble as tears pricked at her brown eyes.
“Mommy is going to leave to go get medicine for it,” Jane said. “But I can’t stay with you, or else you will get sick too. Mommy doesn’t want you to get sick.”
She hated lying to them, but there was no way she could tell them she was going to die. Relief shone in their eyes, but worry still overshadowed any comfort her words might have brought them.
“Are you coming back?” Natalie croaked.
Jane shook her head. “No, baby.” Her eyes started to burn with the effort she was making to contain her tears. “I’m not coming back.”
“Mommy, stay.” Nathan’s cry tore out her heart. Tears rolled down his chubby cheeks as Natalie’s began to fall. He knew. She knew he could tell what was wrong. He always seemed to gravitate toward her when she was falling apart, and he knew. The image of his little face popped in her head of him panicking when she would not be there anymore.
Unable to answer, Jane turned to Jason for help.
“Buddy, she just can’t,” he said. “The people that have the medicine won’t let her because she could still make you sick.”
His lie sounded believable. Jane tightened her grip around his hand, and she slid down to her knees on the floor. She held out her arms, and they both jumped into her embrace. Her muscles screamed, but it was nothing compared to the agony her heart felt.
Jason knelt behind them and took them all into his arms while they listened to their babies crying.
“No matter what, Mommy will always be with you,” she cooed, stroking their hair. “You have to be strong for Daddy and take care of him for me, okay?”
“’Kay,” they croaked back in unison.
“Mommy loves you both so very much,” she continued. “Never forget that. I love you, always.” She kissed the tops of their heads. “You’re the best thing to have ever happened to me.”
They cried together. “Love you, Mama.”
They held each other tightly, but Jane started to feel a painful pressure in her chest. Breathing was already becoming difficult. Panicked, she leaned back to look Jason in the eye.
He nodded and pulled them all into a big hug. “Guys, Mommy has to go now.”
They sat there for a few seconds before Jason released his hold and stood.
Jane squeezed them again and leaned back on her knees. “I have to go. Be good for Daddy and take care of each other.” She couldn’t stop her tears. “I love you both so much.”
Her heart was dying. More tears fell, and she gasped out painfully before giving them another quick hug. She kissed both of their foreheads and breathed in their baby smell.
Jane smiled, looking into their sad eyes. She couldn’t believe that this was it. Out of all the times that she had never wanted to exist, she was finally getting her wish, and it was the most horrible thing in the world.
She sobbed again and stood, covering her mouth. Jason quickly pulled her to him and hugged her, kissing her hair over and over.
She felt her body shaking and struggled not to scream against his chest. She didn’t want to go, but she had to. It was the only way to keep them safe.
Even though she had every feature of her children memorized, she turned to take in their adorable faces one more time. She’d seen them cry so many times but never had she seen them so devastated. Their tear-stained faces were the last images of them she would ever see, and she couldn’t take it anymore, so she blew them a kiss and walked away.
Her hands shook as she climbed out the window. Whether it was from the virus or sorrow, she didn’t know, and it hardly mattered.
Once she was outside, she turned to Jason as he pressed her gun into her hand. It seemed as though he couldn’t talk anymore, and he simply nodded to her as a tear slid down his cheek.
“Take care of them, Jason.” Her lips trembled when his face crumbled. “Tell them I love them. Don’t let them forget me.”
“Mommy, don’t go!” Nathan cried.
She choked on a cry and nodded to him as new tears rushed down her face. She knew Jason had forced himself to close the window and felt her heart break when the latch clicked.
Sobbing uncontrollably now, she turned away and ran. It was over. Her life was over.
The eerie stillness surrounding Jane’s home seemed to unsettle Tristan. He glanced around the perimeter, meeting Bors’ gaze for a moment before continuing his survey. Geraint’s figure was standing on top of a tall house fifty yards away, but he nodded when Tristan looked his way.
Bors’ voice interrupted the silence. “I cannot believe this happened to David.”
Though they were about two hundred feet apart, his voice was easily heard by both men.
Geraint joined the conversation. “Do you think he is mistaken? About it being her, I mean. All our wives came to us quickly.”
“No,” said Tristan. “David has not once looked upon another. If he says she is the one, she is. And it’s not like she knew he was looking for her.”
“Perhaps there’s still—” Bors was cut off by a series of groans.
“Dammit!” Geraint’s curse rang out. “There’s activity. Northeast.”
“Take them out quickly,” Tristan ordered.
Their attention was drawn to the home when the children’s cries sounded.
“What do you think is going on?” Bors asked.
The weeping continued, and they caught the parts of the conversation and lots of crying taking place inside: I love you... Goodbye... Mommy, don’t go.
“What the hell is going on?” Bors exclaimed.
Geraint alerted them. “She’s on the move. She went out the back window.”
“I got her,” Tristan called out, “Fuck! Notify David.”
Geraint spoke again before they could send the alert. “Tristan, we have more coming from the west. Fuck and the south—they’re heading straight for her.”
“Bors, let’s go, we need to keep them away,” Tristan commanded. “Geraint, stay on her. Do not let her out of your sight. Lucan and Dagonet, I need you to stay with the family.”
They took off at lightning speed to get ahead of her already swift pace. Geraint leapt from rooftop to rooftop, never losing sight of her, and only paused to take shots at the advancing swarm.
Tristan paused taking several shots. “Yes, it’s fast, and her breathing is labored.” He grunted and took another shot. “Why are there so many?”
“Shit! I think she’s infected,” said Geraint.
“Get David and the others here now!” Tristan yelled.
“David, we have a problem,” Bors said into his comm-unit. “It’s the woman—she’s on the move.” He spoke quickly, then added, “David, we think she’s infected.”
“What?” David shouted, his voice roaring through each of their earpieces. “Where is she?”
“We’re two miles directly north of her house. Several large masses are surrounding us. We need everyone. Now!” Tristan yelled while taking more shots.
He and Bors kept close to her slowing silhouette, mowing down the growing crowd in the process. Geraint was still on the rooftops, shooting every few seconds.
“We’re on our way, nearly eight miles south of you.” Arthur was the one to reply. “Keep them back.”
Though the small team dispatched the undead one after another, it seemed they weren’t making much of a dent in the mob. Tristan and Bors closed in tighter around Jane.
Jane’s own shots began to ring out, but she finally stumbled and fell to the pavement.
Tristan watched Jane from the corner of his eye as she smacked the ground with her hand and cried out in defeat.
She stayed on all fours, then, and didn’t seem to realize the hail of gunfire they were unleashing around her. She continued to wheeze and let out sobs of hopelessness between each frantic gulp for air.
Tristan turned away from her, and focused on the battle.
David raced forward with the others right behind him. Without warning, they came upon the horde of undead. Tristan’s team laid down a continuous hail of gunfire, but the mob was massive. He hadn’t seen one this size in months.
It didn’t stop David, though. He cut through the mob, unleashing destruction in his wake. When he broke free of the wall of bodies, he spotted Tristan and Bors guarding a sobbing figure who looked oblivious to the carnage taking place around her.