Outbreak

Chapter39

Chapter 39: Avi

The woman screams as she is dragged from her cage. She has a limp and is injured on her arm. It looks like it is broken, yet no one does anything to help her.

I want to say something. I want to help her, defend her, but I don't want to draw attention to me or anywhere near Nikki.

Nikki whimpers and I move my Hand slowly until it grasps hers. I squeeze it reassuringly, hoping to calm some of her nerves. She turns to me, tears wanting to escape the corner of her cobalt eyes.

I flinch when my cage door is opened. I am yanked out, and with a scream, I fight as hard as I can with the little energy I have.

Rough, callused hands grab at my arms and legs. They scratch my skin around my thighs and shoulders.

"This is a feisty one." One says with Irish accent. He laughs then coughs as if he used to smoke before the collapse.

I twist my body and kick my legs out , and suddenly break free.

I fall down hard and grunt in pain.

"Let that woman go and I'll do what you want..." I point at the woman who was dragged out before me. "Just let her go and I won't struggle."

I stand and the heavy, bearded man nods to the tall one that still grasps the woman.

"Do it, Leo." The bearded one commands and makes a gesture I with his hand.

Leo sighs, but obeys, and when she is fully in her cage is when I follow the three out of the room. I shield my eyes from the sunlight and stumble on a small rock.

I am brought to a tent and told to stay put. When I see there is only a bed in it, I begin I fear what I put myself into. Then I tell myself that I was going to be forced to do this, and I saved someone else from this fate.

Since I am alone, I take out the radio and press the on button. I switch to the station that I heard the cure on.

I take a deep breath before speaking quietly, "Hello? This is Avigail Williams. I am stuck in a camp full of bandits. They have a room full of women and children. We need your help. We're in a city in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Please, will someone help-"

I stop when the tent opens and the man whom I suspect is the leader steps through. He glances at the radio that I have in my hands and scowls at me.

"What are you doing?" He rasps, stomping to me and taking the device out of my hands. He throws it in the ground and steps down on it hard to break it. I flinch as he does so, looking at my feet.

He makes his way back towards me and backhands my face. I fall into the ground and stay there as he beats and kicks me.

"I will take that little girl you came here with and kill her in front of you so you know to never disobey me again." He growls before punching me in my gut.

I remain on the floor as he brings in a screaming Nikki. My ribs are broken and my face is bruised. I wheeze as I breathe in and out.

As he grabs a knife from under his mattress and goes to slice her neck I cry out, "Wait! I'll do anything!"

I reach out towards Nikki. She sobs as she looks deeply into my eyes.

"What will you do?" He glances at me, the knife's edge up against Nikki's throat.

I stand, holding onto my stomach. "I-I will tell you about the cure and where it is."

The leader laughs at and pushes the blade harder on Nikki's skin. The sharp edge cuts a small gash, causing blood to trickle down and ruin the pink dress he wears, staining it a deep red.

"I was the one that was able to catch the cure on the radio, not Marlowe." I point a finger at the broken walkie-talkie.

He pushes Nikki away and lunges for me, the knife pressing against my cheek. I don't even flinch and keep looking into the disgusting shade of brown eyes he has.

"If you lie to me, that friend and little girl of yours is dead. I don't care about the cure if I have to deal with girls like you."

I nod my hand, causing the knifes tip to cut a shallow gash into my cheek down to my chin, but I don't care. As long as Marlowe and Nikki are safe, I don't care if I am killed.

I follow him out of the tent, watching as a man takes Nikki back to that one room filled with caged girls. We walk towards a small building, one that looks only a few yards big when I hear a shot go off and a scream.

I freeze, numb. Marlowe. They shot her.