Survival of the Unfit

Chapter 5

April

I twisted my hair around my finger, picking through the split ends. Cheers erupted from the stands, and I glanced at the field before becoming quickly disinterested again. Football. Eh.

Brandy took me here and met my parents earlier, who absolutely adored her and thought we were just going for some ice cream again, but Brandy just wanted somewhere safe to talk. And later on, some quick self-defense lessons. Apparently the safe talking place meant around a huge congregation of the most dangerous population in the area.

She explained that no one would pay attention since everyone’s so caught up in the game, and for extra reassurance, we moved to the farthest, upper right corner of the stands, away from the massive student section cheering the South Rushwood Warriors on. It was a blob of red, for the most part. It uncomfortably reminded me of blood.

Brandy glanced around her for any watching eyes, then started to speak. “Soon as halftime hits, we bust out of here and head back to the forest.”

“Okay,” I replied, tearing another spilt end off. “What are we talking about?”

“Levi Wolfe, girl. God, who else.”

I laughed lightly and stopped picking at my hair, leaning back against the metal fence and bringing my knees up. “What about him?” I asked.

She groaned and exasperatedly sprawled out on the metal bleachers. “He’s so hot.”

I laughed again. “Dully noted. And?”

She shot up and looked me in the eye, grabbing my arm. “April, please tell me that a crime-fighting, leather jacket-wearing, dark-haired, blue eyed teenage boy is not the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen.”

“Take out the fighting and it sounds good,” I replied, picking at split ends again.

“No, no, but the fighting’s the best part,” she reasoned, leaning back against the bleacher behind her once more. “He’s all strong and badass, and you sure as hell would know you weren’t dying.” Her tone fell, and something clouded up her expression. “Well…maybe not before the whole thing. But now.”

I suddenly became more interested. “What thing?” I questioned, leaning forward.

Her hazel eyes had a glint of interest to them, laced with curiosity and mischief. “You don’t know, do you?”

“Tell me,” I automatically responded. “Please.”

She took a deep breath. “A year ago, everything was a lot worse at North. There were a lot more disappearances. A lot more deaths. Carelessly done, mind you, and people were slowly beginning to notice something off, and the whole system was in danger of being discovered. Until Levi.”

“What’d he do?”

“I’m getting there child, hold your horses. His girlfriend was targeted over the summer.”

“Oh no,” I whispered, realizing what she meant.

“She didn’t die, April. She lost a leg.” Brandy went rather quiet, staring off into nowhere as if she was reliving the memory herself.

I was a bit shocked. Well a bit’s an understatement, this Levi had a one-legged girlfriend. A leg? What would losing a leg even feel like, how did it happen, why was she targeted, but all those questions were quickly answered by Brandy without being asked.

“Shot, the infection’s what did it. She fought hard though and smashed the guy’s skull in with a pipe, or at least that’s what I’ve heard. Levi never really killed the guy, more like put him out of his misery. But she got a prosthetic, and then life went back to what was pretty much normal. Levi’s been defending people ever since. Saving, really. I don’t know if they ever figured out what the guy’s motive was for killing Casey, and I’m not thinking we’ll ever find out.” Brandy played with her hands, and then groaned frustratingly again. “He’s just so hot.”