Survival Of The Fittest

George

Cara replaced the wooden pieces behind Ivan and I. I passed the clothes I had been clutching for so long to Karen who took them to the far end of the warehouse. "How was it?" Cara asked as Ivan began unzipping his back and passing food and blankets around. Before he could answer Mindy was storming down the stairs to the balcony, red faced.

"You've been followed." She said frantically. "There's a girl out there, pale skin, dead eyes. I think it's one of those vampires." She was pacing in a small circle. "We don't know how to kill those. She's just out there, leaning on our fence, watching the street."

Karen and Lee looked at each other nervously.

"It's okay, we know she's there." I told her. I tried to touch her shoulder, to sooth her. But she flinched away and glared at me.

"Do not touch me." She spat.

"Who is she?" Cara asked, walking to stand beside me. I looked around the room, settling on Ivan. He shook his head, as if to tell me I was out on my own. I didn't understand why he was wimping out now. He was the one who suggested we brought it up with everyone.

"Her name is Juliette. She doesn't want to hurt us." I tried to explain. I couldn't convey the same message in the same way as she had, so knew there was no point in attempting to do so.

"But she's a vampire?" Karen asked me, her hands were shaking and Lee put an arm around her in comfort.

"She is. But she said that they don't have to have blood to survive. She lives off of normal food, like we all do. She killed zombies and another vampire to protect us. She told us how to kill one. Plus we need her if we're going to manage with..." I trailed off, forgetting that Ivan had only told me about George.

"Manage with what?" Lee asked.

"Just, everything going on at the minute, with the apocalypse and all that." I tried. Ivan just shook his head.

"George was bitten by one. She said she can help us to make sure he doesn't turn dangerous. She said there's a way he can stay pure." Ivan explained.

"Has he turned?!" Cara exclaimed, her face angry.

"No, and we don't know when he will." Mindy said. "If you dare touch him, I will hunt you down. Don't even think about it."

"She wasn't going to hurt him." I said.

"Wasn't I?!" Cara said, stepping towards George. I grabbed her and pulled at her.

"Is she outside?" George asked. His voice was tiny, quiet and high. I had never heard it before. And now I looked at him I could see a small tear meandering down his face. I nodded, and he looked directly at me, into my eyes. I could see his eyes were bloodshot, his eye colour fading to grey rather than the blue they were the day before. He looked paler, smaller. "Can I talk to her?" He asked. "Will you take me?"

"I'll take you." Ivan said. But George shook his head.

"Laurel takes me." He said. Mindy rolled her eyes and walked off, up the stairs and out onto the balcony again. Ivan nodded at me and I took George's hand. Karen, Martin and Ivan began moving the wood, and once it was all gone I opened the door for us to get out.

George followed behind me, and then motioned to be picked up. I took him into my arms as the door was slammed shut behind us. I looked up and saw Mindy, looking in the opposite direction out across the streets, she refused to acknowledge us. Lee however was stood beside her, watching our every move, and Juliette's. He gave me a reassuring smile.

Juliette had turned to see us. And I walked up to the metal mesh gate until I was close enough to see every detail in her face. She wasn't looking at me, instead her eyes were fixed on George.

"How old is he?" She asked quietly, smiling at him and waving her index finger against the gate.

"Ivan said he turns seven next month." I replied. She looked at me.

"He won't turn seven, Laurel."

"I know." I replied. "He wanted to see you."

"Will I turn into you?" George asked her. She nodded slowly. "Will I eat people, like mum said I might?"

"You don't have to. If you let me stay, I can help you make sure you don't hurt people." She explained. "See it's a choice..."

"George." I filled in for her. She smiled at me briefly.

"It's a choice, George. You don't have to be like those monsters. You can be like me." She said, high voice sounded sad. She wasn't like how I thought a monster would be. She was kind, and thoughtful; beautiful and caring.

She could really help George, help us all.