Sacrifice

Claire starred up through the branches of the tree watching the small snow flakes gently falling. It was unusual for it to snow this early in the year, Claire held out her hand trying to catch one but each flake flicked by without landing on her fingers. Trevor lay slumped against the tree trunk his body completely still and his grip on her hand lax. Claire interlaced her fingers and held his hand to her chest placing chaste kisses over his cracked knuckles. His long hair was now plastered to his forehead with a sheen of drying sweat. Claire wanted to reach over and wipe it away but at the same time she was frightened to touch him.

Emilia had fallen asleep against Claire’s chest and Willow was also snoozing softly leaning on her shoulder. This wasn’t the safest place to be sitting but Claire couldn’t bring herself to care. She knew that Trevor was gone and that they should leave and find somewhere safe.

They had always told each other that they wouldn’t let the other turn. The rifle was right there, sitting next to his leg but Claire couldn’t bring herself to use it.

She wanted to believe that when he finally did turn and come back that Trevor was still in there but Claire knew that that was only a lie she told herself. He was gone.
Willow shifted against Claire’s shoulder and pressed her face deeper into the creases of Claire’s jacket snuggling in. It was rather cold outside for late October, winter seemed to be in a rush this year.

Claire brushed back Emilia's short brown hair, each child seemed to take after only one of their parents. Trevor always joked that Willow was Claire on the outside and him on the inside and the opposite for Emilia. Even at three years old her rebellious nature was shining through. Claire had never been one to take no for an answer and she was surely not one to back down.

Trevor was much more resigned in that matter. He thought through everything some would say too much.

The falling snow steadily began to dissipate until there were only a few flakes here and there leaving the ground in a light dusting. The sun was halfway through the sky now and the air seemed slightly warmer.

Claire looked over at Trevor, his body still and unmoving she leaned in and kissed his shoulder.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. His hand lay limp inside her grasp but when she tried to pull away it suddenly gripped onto her.

Claire gasped ready for her husband to open his eyes and there to be a monster in his place but nothing else happened. Claire wondered if it was just a reflex, she had read somewhere that even in death you still have reflexes but the grip was far too tight.

“Trevor.” Claire shifted moving Emilia onto Willows lap who groggily opened her eyes but took her sister easily. Claire began brushing back his hair feeling that his forehead was no longer feverish. The color in his skin no longer an ashen gray but returning back to normal.

Claire placed both her hands on each cheek and lifted his head up.

“Baby.” Claire whispered tears stinging at her eyes. She was grasping at straws. She should take the girls and run. She should shoot it. This thing wasn’t her husband and it was about to kill them all but something inside her kept nagging at her saying that it’s him.

Claire tried pulling her hand away again but his grip tightened ever still. Claire brushed back his bangs from his eyes.

Trevor’s lids blinked several times in quick succession before finally opening and Claire was met by the familiar dark chocolate eye color.

“Trevor?” Claire asked with a wary voice.

Trevor nodded and tears escaped his eyes and dripped down his cheek as he gripped onto Claire’s hand tighter. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him into a grip so tight she felt him gasp against her.

Claire buried her face into his neck giving him several kisses before leaning back and smacking him on the arm.

“Don’t ever do that again!” She said with tears still streaming down her cheeks.

Trevor just nodded seeming to still be a bit out of it.

“Papa?” Willow leaned over looking at the two. “You okay?” She asked.

Trevor smiled and more tears came out of his eyes, “Yeah, baby, I’m fine. Come here.” He leaned over and pulled both Willow and Emilia onto his lap.

“Why are you crying then?” Willow questioned.

“I’m just so happy you’re okay.” Trevor brushed his thumb over Willow’s cheek and kissed Emilia on the top of her head. “We should go.” He said now to Claire.

“You sure? You feel okay?”

“Yeah. I feel a lot better.”

Claire stood up and started gathering their things. Willow hopped off Trevor’s lap and took Emilia from him as he stood up using the tree as a support. He leaned against it for a moment closing his eyes and breathing heavily.

Claire stopped and placed her hand on his shoulder rubbing the fabric, “You sure you’re better?”

Trevor just nodded and pulled on his backpack.

“I can carry that.” Claire offered but he brushed her off with his hand.

They got under way at a much faster pace then normal, Trevor walked in the front as usual his stance much better than before. Claire watched his every movement waiting for the moment when he would suddenly drop dead but it never came.

Somehow he had lived. But that is impossible Claire found herself arguing with her own mind. Sooner or later the second shoe is going to drop and he’ll get sick again but instead with each passing hour Trevor actually seemed to get stronger, he stood up straighter and the color was completely back to his face as though he had never been bitten.

Maybe this was it, maybe this was the miracle Claire had been praying for.

Only miracles don’t exist.

~ ~ ~

By nightfall they had already gotten to the end of the highway and were walking through the forest. So far they hadn’t encountered many biters only a few here and there but they were able to slip past unnoticed. It was better to draw no attention to yourself then to try and go out of your way to kill them.

“Let’s make camp.” Trevor whispered setting down his stuff he began to gather fire wood.

They all gathered around the small fire Trevor produced and pulled out what little food they had in their packs. Claire handed Willow a couple granola bars and she began feeding Emilia what was left of the gold fish. Trevor was content to only drink water and have a few bites of an energy bar.

“You sure you’re good?” Claire asked. “Not hungry?”

“I’m fine Claire, you should eat.” Claire finished feeding Emilia and set her down next to her sister who had pulled out her sleeping bag. They rarely slept outside but if they did the sisters liked sleeping together.

After both the girls had fallen asleep Claire scooted over closer to Trevor leaning her head against his shoulder. He began brushing his hand over her head and down to her shoulder.

“What happened today?” Claire asked.

Trevor shrugged, “I have no idea.”

Claire lifted her head and looked at him, “I-I thought you were dead.”

“I thought I was too.”

“I-I don’t understand. How? How did you survive. Everyone who has been bit...dies.”

Trevor just shrugged again, “I don’t know.”

Claire shifted so she was kneeling in front of him placing both hands on his shoulder, “Do you know what this means?” Her face lit up with awe, “This means, you’re immune. You could be the answer Trevor. You could be carrying the cure right now in your own blood”

Trevor shook his head, “I’m no Messiah.”

“But you survived, you lived. How are you not freaking out right now.”

“Claire, I don’t want to talk about it.” Trevor pushed her hands off of him.

“You never want to talk about anything.” Claire scooted away from him and faced out towards the woods. “I’ll take first watch.”

She heard Trevor shift and breath like he was going to say something but in the end he just laid down and went to sleep.

~ ~ ~

Claire wanted to let everyone sleep as long as possible but the sun was already creeping into the sky casting shadows over the earth and it was time to move on. Trevor had slept the whole night and Claire didn’t bother to wake him up for a shift change. He needed far more rest then she did and she needed time to reflect on yesterdays events.

Trevor’s immunity should have been a gift but for some reason Claire couldn’t let go of the nagging feeling that it had to come with a price. Whether or not something did happen at this moment he seemed back to his old self. Claire promised to allow herself some time to be happy about that before letting the negative thoughts completely take over.

Claire stood up and began the usual morning routine of waking everyone up and gathering together their belongings. Once everyone was situated Trevor took the lead directing them farther into the forest.

Before they were married Trevor used to go hunting quite a bit and had picked up enough tracking skills to keep them from getting lost.

They had been walking for what had to have been at least two hours with no talking when Claire finally decided to hike up next to Trevor so she could speak with him.

“Where exactly are we going?” She asked.

“Into the forest.” Trevor offered.

“No duh” Claire answered sarcastically, Trevor shot her a look of annoyance so she tried to correct her tone, “I mean how far. Is it really safer here then the road?”

“There is more cover. So yes.”

“But yesterday you said that the road was safer.” Claire argued.

“That was yesterday and this is today.” Trevor’s tone had a finality about it that made Claire not bother with any more questions. A small tug on the end of her jacket made her turn her attention downwards.

“Mama, I need to pee.” Willow said crossing her legs and holding her hands over her bladder.

“Okay sweetie.” Claire turned back up to Trevor, “Willow has to pee. I’m going to take her around the tree. Keep watch?”

Trevor nodded his hands tightening around the gun and so Claire took Willow’s hand and led her a few or more feet away behind a nearby tree that had plenty of brush around it. It turned out Willow had been holding her pee for a few hours and it seemed as though they were back there for ages.

“All done?” Claire asked.

Willow stood up and Claire handed her a couple tissues to clean herself. Willow looked up at Claire and nodded dropping the tissues on the ground and pulling her pants up they turned to head back to Trevor.

When Claire turned something flew in front of her face too fast for her to focus on but the pain she felt in her ear signaled danger. She threw herself down over Willow and cradled Emilia’s head holding both children beneath her feeling a trickle of blood falling from the top of her ear. She chanced a look up, she could see Trevor in the clearing holding the rifle looking the other direction and straight above her embedded in the tree was a bolt from a crossbow.