Warm Bodies: The Answer

The Friend

Joshua felt like something was wrong. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but the feeling hung in his gut like lead, and he found himself pacing in his living room, back and forth in front of his windows as he glanced out towards the doc's house. He couldn't see it of course, he was on the other side of town, but he knew where it was, and for some reason, he wanted to be there right now.

But he'd promised Rowan he'd give them the night. He couldn't go barging in on them in the middle of it. They might be doing something he had no business interrupting. The idea made his gut take another strange turn he didn't quite understand.

His gaze turned towards the dark hall leading to his bedroom, where Adeline lay in bed waiting for him.

He should be going to her now.

Something hit him then, a ghostly echo of pain, and he found himself doubling over, completely surprised by what he was doing.

Then his mouth went dry.

Caleb. Something was happening to Caleb.

But, he'd left Rowan with Julie, not Caleb. His brother had agreed to let Rowan come back up. And Rowan had looked at him and told him to leave, and...

...and he'd flinched when Julie took his hand.

Joshua's mouth fell open.

That... wasn't.. Rowan.

"Oh dear Lord no," he whispered.

He'd left Julie alone with his brother.

Turning, feeling too slow, he ran out the door and down the road, through the center of town that was quiet and still. The doc's house was in the distance now, he could see it, the living room windows lit with a soft light.

And someone was screaming, crying out...

Rowan...

"No!" Joshua yelled, and he raced the last few steps, and burst through the door, and then stopped as if he'd met a brick wall, his eyes wide with shock.

Because Julie was spread on the floor, her face turned towards him, but she wasn't... seeing anything.

Rowan was above her, screaming, his hands cupping her cheek, feeling at her neck, and blood was dribbling from his nose, mingling with tears streaming from his eyes.

"NO! FUCK NO!" he screamed, and moved off of her, shifting to her side, feeling again at her neck and shaking her hard.

"Julie! PLEASE!" he sputtered through blood and tears, and leaned over her then, pressing his lips against hers and breathing for her. He did it again, holding her face, shaking her still, then his forehead fell against her chest and he roared.

Joshua had never heard a sound like that before. It tore through him, breaking him from his shock, and he rushed around to Julie's other side.

Rowan had lifted himself, still crying, and was doing compressions, pressing rapidly against Julie's chest.

"Julie, god, COME ON!" he yelled, and leaned down again to breath for her twice, adding to the smear of blood on her ashen lips.

"NOoo" he moaned pitifully, his eyes squeezed tight in pain, and started pumping one more time. Julie jerked in time beneath him, pale and still.

"Rowan," Joshua said softly, and he reached out to grasp the kid's shoulder.

Rowan started at his touch, jerking away as he continued to pump, then he seemed to focus on Joshua, truly seeing him through bloodshot, frantic eyes, and his face twisted in hate.