Page 114 of Afflicted

“It’s OK, we’ll make it back, we’ll beat them.” The truck roars down the highway, and I’m sure the Afflicted have heard it, but I need to get back. I need to get her safe, and I need to hope to god that they don’t see her when I get back.

“What are they going to do if they find out?” She hiccups as she tries to breathe through a sob. “What do they do?”

“I’m not going to tell you that.”

“They’re going to kill you, aren’t they?” She’s sobbing loudly now. “Oh my god, what will they do?”

“Don't worry about that now.”

“I want to know!” She sounds like she’s going to hyperventilate, panic tearing through her, and the smell of fear coming from her does nothing but shatter everything inside me over and over.

“Angel, please.” I reach over to her, and she swats my hand away. “Please, you need to calm down.”

“Tell me what they’ll do!” She punches me in the arm, her voice a grief-stricken snarl. “I want to know what this is going to cost you! Fucking tell me!” She hits me again, sob after sob wracking through her chest.

“They’ll poison me!” I shout at the windshield, at the sky, at the fucking injustice of it all. “They’ll strap me down and poison me with silver.”

“And that'll hurt, right?” She covers her face with her hands. “That’ll hurt you? You’re allergic to silver, aren’t you?”

I swallow hard, my throat swelling shut. “Yes. It’ll hurt.”

“And they’ll starve you?” Her voice is muffled. “They’ll starve you and -”

“Yes, yes. It’s… It's awful, alright. It’s agony.”

Juliet crumples against me, wailing, her hands clasping onto my arms. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

My smart watch pings again, and I put my arm around her, drawing her close. “I told you, it was worth it. It was all worth it. I’d die for you, angel. Gladly. Every single fucking day.”

We drive on in silence, her shivering frame under my arm. I kiss her hair, over and over, knowing with each passing mile that this will be the last time I touch her, the last time I hold her. But I had this. I had it. I hadher.

Five miles out from the compound my watch pings once more, and Juliet burrows into me. “You can’t leave me.”

“Just get in the back, angel. We might have beaten them back.” I know I’m lying to her, but I have to do it. I have to hope. We have to try. “Come on, it’s OK.” I give her a smile, and she throws herself at me. I slam the brakes, taking her in my arms as her soft lips devour my mouth.One last kiss. “Come on angel,” I murmur, leaning my forehead against hers. “Get in the back. I need to get you safe.”

“You were worth it, too.” Her breath washes over my lips, and she climbs, sniffling, into the back seat.

I don’t even feel dread as we get closer. I’m strangely calm. I knew this would happen. It was just a matter of time. I’d fuck up, and it would all go to hell.

You’ve ruined everything. You always have.

My father’s last words to me echo through my head. Maybe I have always ruined everything. Maybe I let myself fall in love with a human because I have a sick need to destroy, to sabotage the people I care about, not to mention myself. All I’ve done now is left an already traumatized woman with more loss, and yet more trauma. No one to protect her.

Just as the compound comes into view, I almost veer the truck to the other side of the road, and speed off. But where do I go? I can’t keep her safe out in the fucking wild. I can’t leave her at the mercy of the Afflicted, and the National Guard, and who knows what else is out here.

I brace myself as I keep driving. But the sirens aren’t going. The flashing lights on the fence are out. The truck gets closer, and the guards at the gate become visible. They’re standing around, as normal. No frantic activity. Nothing unusual.

I pull up at the gate, ready for an inspection, ready to be told to get in quickly. Instead, they wave me through as the gate rolls back. I stupidly pause and roll down my window, one of the guards approaching.

“I had an alarm go off,” I say, holding up my smart watch. “I got back as quickly as I could.”

The guard laughs, waving his hand. “Yeah, scared the shit out of us too. But it was just a drill. Nothing to worry about. They should have told you that when you headed out.”

Yeah they should have.Sheshould have told me. Juliet was right, and I’m a fucking fool.

I drive into the compound, and park the truck. I climb down, checking for anyone nearby, but everything is clear.

When I open the back door, Juliet stumbles out, her face red and tear-streaked. She wraps her arms around my waist, still sobbing quietly.

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