Time Left Over (Time Book 1)

Chapter 28

4:26 PM
October 12, 2019
The outskirts of Washington DC
9 Months and 6 Days Left

"Where are they?!" I shout at Hunter through the darkness, I know he's still here. I can hear the shuffling of his feet in the distance. "Tell me!!" I scream in the direction of the noise. I see his tattered figure fade into the light, in a blind rage I raise my gun and immediately fire three shots each one visibly shaking him as they enter his body. Then in complete silence he falls to floor, the light shines on his face as he struggles to stay alive. The next moments seem to happen in slow motion. I rush over to where his body lays struggling with it's wounds, as I get to him I notice Hunter isn't the one on the ground but Adam. I've just shot Adam three times!! In a panic, I kneel at his side doing everything I can to stop the blood, I look up and begin to scream for help, hoping that Anna and Lucy might be able to find me.

"Jack?!?" Anna's voice cuts through the darkness, I stop shouting as I look around for her, I find her standing at the edge of the shadows next to Lucy. They are both stunned and confused as they process the scene in front of them, I see Lucy's eyes dart back and forth between the gun sprawled across the ground and me desperately trying to stop Adam from bleeding. 

"Help Me!!" I plea, my voice apologetic and strained. They both rush over to my side momentarily putting away their curiosity to help me keep Adam alive.

"We need fabric to help close the wounds." Anna says focusing only on the person dying on the floor in front her. In response, I remove my red flannel shirt and tear it into sections to use as fabric, revealing my white shirt underneath. Quickly tying the straps around his wounds, I find three crushed bullet shells sitting on the ground below him.

Before we are able to proceed, a low growling sound in the distance  causes all of the muscles in my body to tense. Taking a long breath I feel the familiar grip of rage take hold of my movement. Noticing my sudden change in demeanor Anna rests a hand on my arm, trying to keep me from doing anything drastic.

Just as I am about to attack, dozens of creatures just like Hunter stumble out of the darkness. Immediately my focus shifts and the only thing on my mind is the safety of everyone else. Looking over at Lucy I tell to help me get Adam up so we can get out of here.  Stretching his arm over the back of my neck, Lucy and I bring him to his feet and turn back towards the doorway behind us. As we make it closer and closer to the door Adam looks over to me, visibly suffering. "I...  forgive you." As he finishes his sentence,  I feel the strength in his legs give out and his eyes close as his head falls limp. Lucy, Anna, and I make it out the door and head towards the truck.  Despite our efforts however, the creatures are gaining on us. "Run!!" I say to Lucy, now caring the full weight of Adam around my shoulders. I move as fast as I can, the creatures slowly gaining on me with every step I take my legs become weaker and it becomes harder to move forward. They are only feet away when Adam regains consciousness.

"Leave me." he says to me weakly.

"What do you mean?" I respond confused.

"If you keep going on like this... All you'll do is get us both killed. " He explains.

"No! I'm not leaving you behind!" I refuse, "I don't care if it kills me!! I'm not going to let you DIE!!" I continue to argue.

"Jack, I don't want to be the reason you didn't make it out of this place today... Look at those people waiting for you Jack, they need you, they don't need me..." his voice trails off for a moment. "Goodbye Jack." Suddenly a mass of arms rip him from my grasp,  and he is lost to the mass of monsters behind me.

"ADAM!!" I am suddenly pulled away from them as I listen to the agonizing screams of Adam in the distance. Without another word I get into the car and Anna drives away. Away from the armory, away from the demons, and away from Adam.