Immune-ish

Chapter Twenty-Four

XANDER:

Chloe just does what she's supposed to as we walk up the dirt road to the town hall. I can sense the two scientists are wary of her and maybe slightly confused. I would be, too, if I were them. I expect that kind of behavior from Eva, but not from a full-on corpse. It just shows that there is still a piece of her left.

When we arrive at the town hall, Chloe struggles up the steps, but still doesn't make a sound or struggle against her collar. We walk through the halls and receive a few odd looks, but no one seems too distraught over the sight of a corpse. Not like the other people in town would.

Zane opens the door to the testing quadrant and the moans are immediate. Chloe tugs against her leash once and then gives up without a second thought. All the creatures in the cages look up as we walk past - some human and some corpse, and some in between. We stroll to the end of the hall where Zane takes a key ring out of his pocket and uses one to open the final cage on the right side.

"Men," Zane says, stepping away from the cage and holding the door open. The more fearful scientist grabs Chloe around the torso, while the other one pulls the leash off of her neck. Then they both work together to push her into the cell. She stumbles and faceplants, and I want so badly to say something about it, but I keep my mouth shut to stay out of trouble. They're helping her, I have to remind myself.

"Get someone to start her on the cure," Zane commands. Then he turns to me. "Mr. Wolfe, you may go. Your sister is in good hands now."

"I hope you realize I'm not going to leave," I say in a low voice. "She's my sister. I'm not just going to dump her off here for you to run tests on or whatever the heck you're doing here. I control this now."

Zane's face goes red and his grey eyes burn holes in my head, and yet he is still the essence of calm. "Very well, Xander." He spits my name. "Don't mess it up, though. You only get one chance." He marches away before I have a chance to answer.

Already, I get tired of standing on my hurt leg, despite how quick it's healed. I look around, searching for something to do, or at least somewhere to sit. Along the wall, in the corner is a pile of colorful plastic chairs that look like they belong in a school. I walk over and grab one in each arm. I set them down in front of Chloe's cage and use one as a seat and one as a foot rest. Stretching out my injured leg after all that running relaxes me and I feel calm for the first time in what seems like forever.

I stare at Chloe as she struggles to pull her tiny body up off the ground. Sometime today, she got a noticeable cut on her lower arm. It is still oozing black and I believe the wound has opened more because of her fall. I have to dig my fingers into my palm to keep from screaming at someone about it.

When I let myself care about someone, as I have with Chloe and the rest of my family, I care deeply. I trust deeply. I love deeply. That's why no one else is going to be let in. My own selfish longing to be free of pain won't allow anyone to get close to me. This world is cruel and I can't let anyone else I love be tortured by it.

That's why Eva should leave. It's for her own good. She needs to get cured and leave and be with someone who can love her. She shouldn't be around someone who doesn't have the ability to keep her safe. No one deserves that. But as I said before, I'm selfish.

My thoughts on the topic go on and on against my will. Everything contradicts itself and my brain has been tied in knots. Thankfully, a scientist with a large bag unlocks Chloe's cage and steps inside, offering me a distraction. I watch with interest and anger as he pushes Chloe to the ground. He puts his foot on her chest and digs through his bag. He pulls out some gauze and bends over to wrap it around her arm like a tourniquet. He then pulls out a needle with a nasty, nearly-clear fluid inside. The man sets it on the ground, just out of her reach, and grabs an alcohol-soaked cloth out of his bag. Chloe moans while he rubs it on. Finally, he sticks the needle in her vein and pushes the plunger, which he makes seem agonizingly difficult. When he leaves, Chloe stays in her spot with a tired look on her face.