Immune-ish

Chapter Twenty-Two

XANDER:

I can't believe Erin is dead. My one actual friend is dead.

And the reason he's dead, will likely be the reason that I die.

That was a warning for me.

If Zane wants Chloe, then that is what I'll give him. If it keeps us alive, then I'll do it.

I have to go talk to Zane.

Thank goodness the phone rings and I have to leave to pick it up before Eva can say anything. I already know who it is, but I ask, "Hello?" when I pick up anyway.

"You want your proof?" Zane asks. He sounds angrier than usual, despite the joy he had when he killed Erin. "Come get it." He hangs up and the line goes dead. Perfect timing.

"Zane?" Eva asks.

"Yep," I say.

"Does this mean I can get cured now?"

I roll my eyes. That's all she can think about when a man was just murdered in front of the whole town. "Maybe." This isn't a topic I want to discuss now anyway. Or at all.

She doesn't respond after that. Maybe she doesn't want to, or maybe she doesn't want to start a fight.

"I've got to go," I say.

She looks heartbroken and I wonder if I look the same. "Okay."

"Are you actually going to be okay this time?" I pull my boots on.

"Yes, Xander. Just go." She waves me away with her hand.

I nod and open the door. "Bye." I close it and leave before I hear her reply.

Walking down the street, I notice how much easier it is to walk today, but it still hurts to put much weight on my leg. "Was that really only yesterday?" I whisper to myself. Ever since Eva arrived, time hasn't seemed to work right. After a single day, it feels as though a week should have passed.

When I approach the huge town hall, I notice a couple of scientists dragging three people towards the front of the building on leashes. The people being dragged in struggle and gnash their teeth because, after a second look, I realize they are corpses. One looks my way and pulls even harder against the leash. I stop in my tracks, waiting for the corpses to be far ahead of me before I continue.

Then Zane opens the front doors to the Town Hall and yells at the men to hurry up. I know what's going to happen before it does.

The scientist on the left whips his head up at Zane and I think I can see the sweat beading on his face. He becomes flustered and trips over his own feet, but rights himself before he hits the ground. All it takes in one pull from a corpse to make the leash slip out of his sweaty hands. The other man is not strong enough to hold onto all three, so he releases them to possibly save himself.

And I am off. The corpses come barreling after me for some reason. My boots slap against the dirt as I sprint as fast as my leg will allow. I tire too quickly and corpses don't get tired.

My breathing becomes labored and to keep myself from passing out from a mixture of pain and lack of oxygen, I slow down enough to breathe, but still keep ahead of the corpses. But not by much. I hear Zane and the scientists yelling but nothing will distract the three well-dressed creatures or the others clawing against the fence. Where's the patrol when you need them?

I attempt to turn down a side street, but it hurts to move my leg like that, so I keep on going straight. To turn would mean allowing the corpses to catch me. I sprint past my house, wishing that Eva would find a way to save me. But alas, she is most likely in my parents' room, looking through more of my memories, or trying to wash Erin's death from her brain.