No Time To Bleed

"You know what I don't understand?" William and I walked side by side in the large warehouse.

William had told me this was usually Clarissa's first spot since people usually liked to take refuge in large, stable structures. But this building looked anything, but stable. The rotted and dusty holes in the wooden floorboards. Gaping chunks of rude brick missing from the walls as if monsters had taken their mid day snack. Dust and cobwebs moved around the environment.

William's clear blue eyes moved to me, curled blonde strands of hair on his head. "You don't understand what?"

I gripped the bat in my hand. It made me feel secure. "Why do you deal with all that crap with your mom?"

His jaw clenched and lips poked together. "Alex told you about that, huh?"

I nodded, sneakers crunching against the cracked glass on the floor. All the light exposed so much in here.

"Well, it's not that simple. My mom's been through a lot. Did Alex tell you about her losing her job and the day the outbreak came?"

"He didn't tell me any of that stuff."

William sidestepped some glass and he ended up even closer to me. His weapon was the same gun from that day they'd taken me.

“Well, before all of this happened,” He took a long pause as if to show me the building for the first time. “my mom loved her job at this publishing company. Growing up, she always loved books. She even keeps on in the van. About 6 months before all of this, she got laid off.”

I wondered how all of this was connecting to anything, but I'd listen anyway.

“She tried drinking, but Dad stopped her. One night they were screaming at each other, he threw all the bottles out the window, I had to sweep up the glass, and my mom cried herself to sleep on the couch that night.”

Sounded traumatic.

“But, then she got better. She went to some AAA meetings and she was recovering.”

“Well, that’s goo-“

“Then, Dad died.”

Silence followed. I guess I could relate to losing your family or having things change before you were ready. I wondered where my parents were now.

“How’d he die?”

We turned a right past a giant, flaking golden archway.

“I saw him get ripped to pieces the first day the zombies came.” He looked to me more focused now. “That’s why my mom took Alex. She didn’t want the same to happen to him. She didn’t want the same to happen to you.”

I almost snorted. “You’re saying your mom’s that serious about this stuff?”

“She’s been practically out of it since this all has happened. She didn’t even cry when I told her about Dad. That’s what burns me up.”

William stopped now, little sniffling tears choking him. His breaths came out in chortled sputters.

He was crying now, head turned down. “I didn’t even want this. Any of this.”

“None of us did. You can’t change it.”

His eyes turned up, soaked red and wet. “You don’t understand.”

“I do. You might now know it, but I do.”

“How?” His hands were almost trembling now like the gun was some sort of disease he didn’t want.

“I had to move her from my family.”

“You don’t seem like you miss them.”

“I do. Some of them. Lots of things happened I couldn’t help. I got blamed for a lot.”

“I’m sorry you got blamed.”

I cracked a genuine smile. “You don’t need to apologize. It’s sweet of you to do that though. But, I understand what you mean when you say you don’t want this. I’m trying to show you that life changes and it sucks.”

Now, it was William’s turn to smile. “Thanks. I’m glad you’re with us now.”

I ruffled his hair and felt that strange surge of protection in her that she’d known for Ryant. But, that thought made me ache inside. I had a plan to lay down today and I had to get back to Ryant, but things were getting more complicated and everyday longer she stayed, the more I’d get attached.

“Let’s keep on moving.”

But that didn’t knock the goofy grin off of William’s face.

We made it up the stairs after covering the first floor. Clarissa, Eli, and Alex were on the south side of the warehouse.

The second floor was a long room with 50 foot high ceilings. The place was dimmer up here.

“So, who’s that boy you were talking about you needed to find?”

My stomach turned as I stepped ahead of him. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Why not?”

I didn’t want to talk without fear of getting snappy with William considering he was likeable.
He followed her out to the warehouse’s long balcony that was slightly obscured by shoulder high iron railings.

Their feet trampled on the yellowed papers on the floor as she breathed in the stale air. “I guess we won’t find anybody up here…”

William froze at the end of the balcony, eyes staring out past the railings.

“What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer. I began to take strides forward, past the inward poking leaves and twigs of trees through the intricate railings.

“There’s a girl out there.”

I pressed into William’s side to get a view of what he’d been seeing.

Down towards the front gate of the warehouse was a walking girl, blonde hair that looked dry and baked in the sun as well as a jogging outfit to wear. She must be burning up in those clothes and she had no weapon.

“HEY!” William shouted, waving his hands from the behind the railings and trying to get her attention.

The girl’s wild eyes searched around for the noise.

“HEY! HE-“

My hand shoved over his mouth and he almost fought against until he was the white van as well. The tires squealed and treaded on the road, catching the girl’s attention. It was like watching an alternate universe as the van seared down to try and get to the girl.

The girl bolted, scarf ragging wildly behind her.

“We’ve gotta save her!” Jasmine whirled around and tore past the doorway to the room.

Screams could be heard from the outside, obscene curses of what was going down.

“Let go of me! I don’t know anything! I don’t know anything!”

My legs pumped and pressed to reach the stairs. William was screaming behind me.

“Don’t go! Don’t go!”

I pulled my bat and was almost ready to take her first leaping jump to the first of the steps. But my last step crashed down. Instead of solid wood, the floor crumbled beneath my rough step and I went down, hands tearing into the hole’s edges and grunting screams from my lips.

“Hold on! Hold on!” William fell down next to me and yanked my hands, feet digging into the floor..

“Stop! Stop! The wood’s hurting me!” she cried. The sharp edges were ripping the fabric of my shirt.

My feet kicked and jerked below. Screams were still heavy from outside, all of it seemed amplified.

William gave one last strong pull and brought my body to the solid floor. I collapsed next to William, breath heaving and mind still racing.

“We’ve gotta save her.” I choked out.

“She’s already gone.” I half expected the voice to come from William, but flipped over, there was Alex at the top of the stairs.

“They took her. Dragged her into the van screaming with white suits on.”

“Who took her?” I gasped with William helping me up.

Alex’s eyes looked over us coldly. “Lexicon. Who else?”

I guess this was another reason Clarissa was on the hunt for people. Lexicon was kidnapping as well.