Outbreak

Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Avi

When we land, it's unlike anything I have ever seen. People walk about as if nothing has happened to the world, laughing and having a grand time.

A group of girls walk by and I suddenly feel self-conscious, running my fingers through my messed up hair. With a groan, I give up trying to make myself look presentable.

I just came from a camp, where I was locked in a cage like an animal and almost tortured for the answer for the cure.

Now that I think about it, those men at the camp are completely idiotic to turn on innocent people just for the location of the cure.

Marlowe is still grieving, her face set in a cold blank look that scares many of the people walking by. We just got her to calm down when she saw Aiden and freaked out.

I honestly wouldn't blame her for the reason if she would just tell me what happened to her. What had they done to make this careless girl fear the world?

But I noticed a tiny spark light up in her eyes when she was back in Easton's arms.

I look back at the loving couple as he rocks her back and forth and whispered sweet nothings in her ear, trying to bring her back to reality.

Seeing this makes me tremble with this sadness. Toni was taken from me in a way he would have never wanted to go.

"Did he die fast?" I ask Easton. He looks at me with surprise, forgetting there were more people in the world besides Marlowe and him.

His expression turns grim and he nods. "Died almost instantly."

I nod slowly, taking the information in. I can't feel anything inside of me as I walk away from everyone, wanting to be alone.

This is hard to do when I'm surrounded by hundreds of people who are crowding the streets.

I rub my arms, tears falling down my face. I am pulled back into someone's arms with a great deal of force. I look up to see Aiden's smiling face staring down at me.

I push away from him, but he doesn't let me go so I remain trapped in his tight embrace.

"I'm sorry for your fellow, but the past is the past. You have to move on." He whispers delicately into my ear, as of he's not tearing it apart with each word he says. But it doesn't hurt as much as it used to, maybe I am moving on, even though I feel like crap.

I glare at the ground before snapping, "It's only been a few days and I haven't even been able to mourn over his death! I can't move on until I cry a little!" I sob, feeling empty, like a kite that remains on the ground because there is no wind to keep it up.

"So cry a little." He murmurs before leaning down and kissing my forehead, making me tense for a moment before I relax.

And so I do. I let the tears escape me, my face turning into a salty river of sadness.

It feels good, though. To let it out. To let all the anger and sadness that had welled up inside of me. It's been too long where I have had the chance to actually take care of myself.

I look down as someone pulls on my worn pants to find Nikki gesturing for me to listen to what she wants to say.

"When are you going to kiss him?" She whispers shyly, her face instantly heating up like a puffy tomato.

My stomach aches after my loud guffawing fit ends a few minutes later and I kiss her cheek. She gives me a small hug before letting me stand to my full heighth.

I look at Aiden and realize that I see Toni in him: his eyes, his hair, his muscles, his clothes...

That's when I realize that Toni isn't gone, not entirely. He is within my heart and everything around me. He is yelling at me to not mourn over him, but to live life to the fullest.

After all...We do have the cure.