Days Since Incident: 1,095
Time: 17:00
Place: Check Point
Climate: 71°F
“Ma’am...I need to know what you are hiding.” Lori asked, her patience wearing thin. The elderly civilian refused to move from the corner, and continued to cradle the bloody object. Grae stood behind Lori, her hand ready on her gun. The older woman had proven very difficult to deal with; they were trying to get her to reveal what she was hiding. The rest of the civilians had been checked out, and were ok.
Grae’s patience was already gone. “Look, you have to the count of three to show us what you have, or die!”
“Come one Grae…” Kayla pleaded. “Have some pity on her. She just lost her husband.”
“You have about two seconds to shut the fuck up Kayla, before you join this widow in death.” Grae responded angrily. She did not even bother looking at anyone else; she kept her threatening look to the older woman.
“What are you going to do with her, huh? She doesn’t have to do anything, let alone answer you-” Kayla was cut off by Grae’s hand around her throat. She lifted her up with ease. Even though Grae was in no condition to fight, she would make the exception for Kayla. The other Outriders did not even flinch when Grae attacked. Hector tried to stop her, but Doc and Rayn got in his way.
“Do you want to be next?” Rayn asked menacingly.
Grae began to close her fist. “It would be easy...so easy in fact. I could end your life and not even bat an eye.”
Kayla began turning red as she tried to breath. She tried to pry Grae’s hand from her throat. After a few seconds, Grae released her. She fell hard on the floor, gasping for air.
“Now listen! We are not going to move past this until everyone cooperates. It is not only a risk to us, but to everyone else in the camp.” Grae began explaining.
Kayla began coughing, trying her hardest to respond. “What makes...you think..we would want to...go anywhere with you?!”
“And what makes you think we would let you get away now?” Rayn interjected. “So you guys can ransack this place, or worse, follow us?” There was the risk of the civilians following the group, or stealing from them. It was either kill them here and now, or take them and deal with them later.
“We have too many people relying on us to keep them safe. And though I would much rather put a bullet between your eyes, believe me I would, I am not risking their lives.” Grae said.
“Then why not kill us?!” Kayla said. “We are already so close to death, killing us would make more sense!” She got up and walked towards Grae again. “It’s because you don’t have it in you to kill another human life!”
Ignoring Kayla’s words, Grae pulled out her gun, and pointed it to the older woman. She closed the distance between the both of them. The elderly woman began growling.
“Listen you old hag, tell me what you are hiding, or else you won’t live to see another minute.” Grae threatened. After not getting a response, Grae and Lori seized the woman. It was a struggle, but they managed to pry her hands away from the bloody object. A blood stained piece of shirt fell on the floor, revealing what it protected: a human heart.
Everyone fell silent, looking at the organ as if it fell from the sky. No one moved. The older woman fumbled a bit, before lunging at the heart. “You piece of shit! You lousy, good-for-nothing bitch! What do you know of responsibility, and compassion? What the fuck do you know of pain and loss?! Nothing! Charles was my everything! He was my world… And then what happens minutes after meeting you guys?! HE DIES! And you claim that you need to think of the safety of others. BULLSHIT! And now you want to take his heart away from me? Well I absolutely forbid it!” The elderly woman screamed.
“I’d rather die than give you Charles’ heart! I’ll die anyways, whether from old age, your gun, or this bite!” She declared. She pulled up her long sleeve shirt, to reveal an infected wound; it looked like a dog bite. There must’ve been another dog Chaser in the building; when she cradled Charles’ dead body, she must’ve been attacked. The skin around the infected wound was a bright, fiery reddish-purple. Green ooze had hardened on the outside, leaving a horrible stench.
The Outriders, at the sight of the infected wound, drew out their weapons. Grae let out a heavy sigh, and put her gun back. “Ron. Mike. Go to the right container, and grab two shovels.
“Shovels?” Mike asked.
“Yes...shovels. We are going to dig her a grave.” Grae said bitterly. “You want to be with Charles so bad? Fine! I’ll send you straight to him.”
“You’re not serious Grace!” Hector said in shock. “This isn’t you!”
Grae grabbed the lady by the arm and pulled her up. She walked her carefully past the group, towards the small, narrow entrance for the checkpoint. Ron and Mike quickly followed after them, carrying rusty shovels over their shoulders.
“She wouldn’t…”Hector said to himself. “Not my Grace…”
The group remained silent for a few minutes, looking at the spot where Grae and the others left. There was no sound made, just the slight whistle of the wind.
As the sun began to set, Ron and Mike returned with one shovel, their faces pale and sweaty. Just before the group could ask, a lone gunshot broke through the silence. That one bullet sounded like fifty. It was so loud, that Hector and Kayla jumped.
“Not my Grace…” Hector repeated, his voice faded into oblivion.
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