Hostage

I pad into the neglected and abandoned building that used to be some type of convenience store. The shelves are broken, scattered across the hard concrete flooring that is now littered with cracks and weeds growing from between them. The pungent smell of mold and decay fills the night air around me.

"So, what's your story?" Evie, the newest member of the tribe, asks from behind me.

"Shh," I hush as I turn around and glare at her. Her bright blond hair is easy for me to spot even in the darkness. A detail that if these creatures could see would be deadly to both of us.

She places a hand over her mouth and slowly removes it. "My bad," she whispers, almost as if she forgot that we are mid apocalypse.

I sigh as I pull my bow from over my shoulder, my quivers ready on the sheath on my back. "Just shut up, carry that backpack and make sure to look for anything canned or useful to put in it. And Evie, for the love of everything, please try to keep your voice low, or I'll leave you for the Infected with no regrets," I growl.

"Fine," she grunts and whispers under her breath, "I don't know why I agreed to go scavenge with you. Everyone said you're the worst of the worst."

"I heard that," I hiss as I glare at her with my bright red eyes, something I acquired after being bitten and not turned. Something that causes fear to flood her face, a typical reaction to people new to the tribe. "As far as I care squirt, I do what I must to keep the only important thing to me alive. If that means I have to scavenge food for those in the tribe in return for their medical care, then so be it."

"You seem very capable of doing everything yourself," she huffs.

She's right. I tower over her in height nearing six feet tall, and although I'm not built, by no means, I certainly can hold my own. However, the matter of me protecting myself isn't the issue. Instead, it's something I suppose the Alpha forgot to mention to this newbie. Although she does have the device she needs for it, I can smell it.

"I know you have that small silver heart-shaped locket with the single red button stuffed inside your left back pocket. Did the Alpha tell you what that's for?" I question as I move forward, silently into the next room. So far, this store has been a bust, with no food, no supplies; it's already been raided.

Shock radiates from her, clearly unsure how I knew she had something that was supposed to be secret. Quickly she shrugs. "Not really; Alpha said that I was supposed to push it if you went awol or something like that."

"Bingo."

"What's it do then? You know, since you already know about it," quietly she asks as she follows behind me.

"You push that button, and the only serum that remains to keep my daughter healthy is destroyed," I state, so quiet I'm unsure if she hears me.

Evie pulls the locket from her pocket and looks it over. An emotion I can't determine flashes across her delicate features. "Why?"

"Why would they destroy the last bit of medicine that we have to keep my daughter from flatlining?" I grunt in annoyance. "It's simple, and you've noticed my eyes. I've been bit."

"Then why haven't you turned?" she questions softly, hand ready on the button.

"It happened years ago when the outbreak first happened. My daughter and I were attacked, except she began to turn shortly after. The Alpha found us and promised he'd make a cure using my blood. So far, it's only stabilized her and pushed her into a coma. In exchange for my services he promises an eventual cure."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I don't care if it answered your question or not. I don't have an answer for you," I state as I place an arrow on my bow and pull back, aiming into the darkness in front of us. "Do me a favor and scream."

"Why would I do that? This place is probably crawling with Infected," she shivers at the thought.

"Okay," I huff as I gently step on her foot which causes a started howl to erupt from her tiny body.

Loud, inhuman shrieking vibrates through the night air as loud, clumsy, thudding footsteps approach our location. Green goo oozes from their pitch-black empty eye sockets. Something about this virus causes the infected to rot from the inside out, turning all their insides to a pea-green goo. This Infected was once a middle-aged male but is now a large clump of rotting mass.

With a soft exhale, I release my bowstring, aiming straight for its head. Its head instantly explodes from the impact since it's soft and squishy from the amount of decay it has faced since being turned.

She slaps me on my shoulder with a definitive huff, "That was rude and uncalled for."

I shrug, "Well, I wasn't going to scream."

"Look, there's obviously nothing of value here. Let's just head back to the tribe," Evie suggests.

As much as I hate to admit it, she's right. I glance once more at the locket she now openly carries. "We can try again in the morning," I nod in agreement.

Hold on, Jamie; Daddy's going to get you better.