Warmer | r

I

The numbness started in his feet. Leaving them cold and useless. It was strange because they were nowhere near the actual wound. He hadn't meant for it to happen. He was pinned under the table when it all went wrong. He couldn't have gotten away. The look in the woman's eye as she bit down on his shoulder, is looked almost ... intelligent. Like she knew what she was doing, especially as she tugged his red jacket up to cover the wound and crawled away.

The numbing feeling spread through his lower body until he could hardly stand. He leant his entire weight on the girl next to him, hoping to god he didn't harm her when he changed. He just had to last long enough to get them on the bus. They had to be safe. His sister, his father, her. She was everything, she needed to leave. He needed her safe.

"We need to go. Now," the soldier barked. The group of refugees continued forwards, faster. So far, they hadn't seen any corpses since they arrived at the airport, but they were well aware of how infested it really was. People go to airports to wait, yes, but no one really knew what the corpses were waiting for. All the group knew was that they had to get to the bus waiting for them and drive far away from the infections. The city was so close now, they just had to make it to the bus and then they were on the home stretch.

"C'mon, hurry!" Jade said, pulling his arm up over her shoulders to better support her weight. She figured that he was still in pain from being crushed under the car. She had no idea. Or maybe she did but didn't want it to be true. He couldn't tell, and his thoughts were becoming to fuzzy to care. Safety. That's all he could think about. Their safety.

He stopped in his deadened tracks when he realised the truth. The only way they would all truly be safe is if he was gone. He was going to hurt them sooner or later. He would change into a monster and try to eat them all. He wouldn't let that happen.

"I-I can't," he stuttered out, shaking.

"What are you talking about?" She held his arm closer to her shoulder and yanked him along with her as she started off again. He resisted and forced her to stop once more.

"I can't," he said, pulling away from her grip. She turned to look at him. His jacket sleeve had slid just a little down his arm. Under the red fabric was a large wound, dripping black liquid and soaking his shirt sleeve. Her breath hitched as she realised why he had been hobbling around. "I'm infected."

"No, no, no. This isn't happening," she groaned. "We can heal it. Bleed it out, amputate it, anything! Come with us."

"You have to get away from here," He said, pulling his arm off her shoulders. The rest of the group was a little ways ahead of them now, not turning to see that they had stopped. She reached for his hand again but he pulled away. She put her hands on either side of his face.

"Please. I- I need you," she cried out.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he said. "You have to kill me. End it."

"No. You know I can't do that. I can't," she sputtered. He sighed, nodding.

"Just go," he urged, gripping her hands and pulling them away from his face. She shook her head, tears welling up.

"I love you," he looked behind her at the group of survivors that were leaving them behind. "Get to safety, all of you. Okay? Leave me here and survive, just like you always do."

She nodded, sniffling. A few people in the group had noticed and they all stopped to wait. The soldier leading them called for them to hurry up. Someone tried to push through everyone and run towards the pair but was held back by the rest of the group. They understood what was happening.