Chapter 16 #2
Alex was halfway up the ladder now, climbing upward with raw strength. Luna barked furiously beside Luci. She shot down another one of the Hollowed that had nearly reached the ladder’s base and sighed with relief when she realized at least half of their plan had worked.
Alex scrambled onto the roof beside her, sweat dripping down his temples. He gave her one wild, breathless grin. “You’re a natural.”
Luci lowered her gun. Her heart pounded so loud that she thought Alex might hear it. She wasn’t sure if it was adrenaline, relief, or both, but one thing was certain, she’d do it all again if it meant keeping him alive.
With both of them shooting, it didn’t take long before every last one of the infected hit the ground, but Alex still fired off a few final rounds just to draw out anything that might still be lingering inside the building. When nothing answered, Luna leapt down gracefully. Luci and Alex followed.
“Not bad, Dr. Castillo,” Alex said as his boots hit the pavement. His smile was just wide enough to make the tension in Luci’s chest loosen.
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight the corner of her mouth tugging upward as she followed him to the entrance and pulled out a small flashlight from the side pocket of her backpack.
The place had been picked over by desperate hands, and the shelves had been stripped down to the bones.
But near the cashier’s counter, Luci spotted a few plasma vessels behind the glass kiosk.
Alex raised his gun and shot through the glass before he reached inside, pulled out a vessel, and handed it to her.
Carefully, Luci inspected it under the beam of her flashlight. The plasma had already started to brown, a sign that the chemical stabilizers had begun to fail. It wouldn’t last forever, but it was enough to get them moving again.
She exhaled and clutched the vessel to her chest as though it were something far more fragile than what it was. “It’ll get us to Arizona.”
“You know, I think we make a good team,” Alex said with a smirk, his head tilting in that curious way that made Luci flush.
“Me too,” she admitted softly.
It was strange to think that a tragedy like this had forced them together, but it had. It was even stranger to feel the faintest amount of gratitude for it.
“Why don’t you try to gather some supplies while I get the RV running?” Alex suggested.
She nodded, smiling softly as he pressed a quick kiss to her temple before walking off.
Luna padded at his heel while Luci turned down an aisle, sweeping the shelves with her flashlight and collecting whatever had been left behind.
Just as she rounded a corner, she caught sight of a faded sign that read showers along with a bold arrow pointing down a hallway.
The idea of rinsing the layer of sweat and grime from her body was tempting beyond reason, even if all she found was cold water.
Without thinking twice, Luci followed the sign. She lifted the flashlight higher as she approached the door to the showers, pushed it open, and reached for a switch. The lights blinked to life, casting a pale light across the rows of stalls.
For a heartbeat, the room seemed still.
Then, a low rasp came from the far end.
Before Luci could react, a stall door burst open, and a Hollowed lunged towards her with terrible speed. She stumbled back and the flashlight slipped from her grip as she fell hard onto the tile. Pain shot through her side as the creature collapsed onto her, its teeth scraping against her ribs.
“Alex!” she screamed, her voice was full of panic as she desperately shoved against the infected’s chest. Its breath reeked of decay, hot and sour against her cheek as she twisted and fought.
Her view narrowed to its snapping jaws until a gunshot split the air. The Hollowed convulsed once then went limp, collapsing on to her chest.
Luci froze before Alex appeared. His face was pale and frightened. “Are you okay? Did it get you?” he asked, rushing to her side.
A broken moan slipped past her lips as her hand instinctively pressed against the torn fabric just above the wound.
Alex’s gaze followed the movement, and his face drained of color completely when he saw the jagged teeth marks carved into the side of her sternum.
Beside them, Luna whined as though even she understood the severity of this injury.
“Luci,” Alex whispered, urging her to open her eyes. When she did, she saw tears gathering in his. “God, I’m so sorry. I should have never left you alone.” His fingers raked desperately through his hair.
“It’s okay,” Luci mumbled, forcing her trembling hand away from her wound so she could reach to hold his hand instead. Her grip was weak, but it didn’t matter. “I’m fine. It just hurts. The vaccine won’t let me turn, I promise.”
Alex shook his head, denial giving into hope. “I won’t let you turn,” he swore, his voice trembled as a single tear slid down his cheek.
For a moment, as pain throbbed through her side, Luci found herself wondering how she could have been so blind to how deeply they felt for each other.
She had never loved like this before, so fiercely and so recklessly, and she had certainly never been loved with such raw devotion.
As the uncertainty of what came next closed in around her, she clung to the hope that she might live to love him for just one more day.