The Stitched

“NO!”

I jolted upwards clutching my heart, it was beating so hard ,I thought it would jump right out of my shirt. It was a horrible dream , a recurring nightmare that I just couldn't seem to shake. In the dream I am being chased, but instead of the usual faceless creatures, they all had the features of my loved ones.

Drenched in sweat I went to the bathroom in the RV I've been traveling in with my friends. February, Camille and Vince were my old classmates until the Stitch Virus took over. Now that I think about it, it's kind of ironic that we studied all that time just to be highschool dropouts. Prom queen, Basketball captain, quarterback and the valedictorian. Who would've thought we’d end up like this? When I got into the bathroom I splashed cold water on my face, then looked into the mirror to examine myself. My brown eyes had deep bags under them, my face was gaunt from losing so much weight , and my blonde hair was sticking up in every direction. I shook my head sadly and left the bathroom.

"Luke? Are you ok?"

February said, rubbing her starry eyes from sleepiness.

"I am now."

I smiled, embracing her in a tight hug. I loved the way she fit perfectly in my arms.

"Did you have that dream again?"

February asked when I let her go.

"Yes"

I said , frowning at her pajamas. She had on boy shorts and a sports bra, her short chestnut colored hair was also in a disarray. Her caramel skin so seemed pale.

"Well I needed some company anyway"

She said, grabbing my hand and leading me towards her room. We laid on the bed and she snuggled up to me, but I could feel her quivering . I automatically take off my shirt and make her put it on.

"But Lu, you'll be cold,''

she started to shake her head.

"I’ll be fine."

I say glad that she stopped shivering. February kissed my cheek and yawned.

"Goodnight."

With that we both fell fast asleep.

I woke up to noise at the front of the Rv and I automatically looked over to February to make sure that she was ok. Grabbing the gun we kept under the pillow, I cautiously snuck towards the noise.

"What were you and Feb doing?"

Camille said, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Minding our business, you should try it."

I say rolling my eyes, but tucking the gun away behind the passenger seat.

“I’m just saying a pregnancy wouldn't help. We’re already low on food.”

As much as I hated to admit, she was right. Noticing me tense up she smiled.

“So do you want oatmeal or the last breakfast MRE?”

The thought of either turned my stomach so I settled for a bottle of water.

“Good morning.”

Vince said, his voice thick with sleep. February followed after him shyly handing me my shirt back. After we were done eating breakfast we made plans to stop at a nearby gas station.

"Where are we?"

Camille said, tossing jet black hair in disdain when we arrived.

"Well according to the sign….we are in Salt Lake City"

I shrugged, getting a gun and making sure I had February in sight.

'Allright Feb and I will go in to get food, you guys get the gas."

"Surprise, surprise you’re with her"

Cami rolled her eyes and pushed Vince towards the door .

We could see that no one had been here because of the snacks that were still on the shelves. I quickly grab a bag and dump everything inside. I felt my face turn hot after grabbing some cashews for Feb because I know she likes them.

" Luke!"

I heard February shriek from inside the small building just as I was finished loading the Rv with the bags. I went to her and stopped abruptly at what I saw. Feb was crying, reading a sheet of paper and holding a golden heart shaped locket.

" What’s wrong?"

I said, pressing her close to me. She held up the paper and read it aloud,

" Dear whoever's reading this

My name is Darla and it's nice to meet you. I suspect I'm the only one alive at this point. My mom and dad owned this store and were among the first to experience the airbounce attack. After they turned into The Stitched, they attacked my little sister Chloe and using my dad's shotgun I panicked and shot all of them. I have rotted here for the last six years and I can't take it any more. The locket enclosed with this letter was the last thing my mom gave me, please cherish it"

I felt a tear fall from my eye and started to feel sick. February opened the slightly tarnished locket and there was a small picture of what I imagined was the family. Feb closed the heart gently and slipped the necklace over her head. Flashbacks to when this all started intruded my thoughts. Plastic surgeon, Dr. William Fredricks, discovered a new beauty formula called Stitch. Just one injection would stitch your dead cells together creating a younger look. While calling it the ‘Fountain of Youth” he forgot to mention the need of living blood to sustain the constant stitching of the cells. We were in school when the first airborne attack spreaded. Many died instantly, including our parents. I took my friends home to my families Rv which was always loaded with food incase of an unplanned vacation. It was hard at first, driving around aimlessly, mourning our loved ones. Then Vincent remembered his grandparents had an emergency bunker in Kansas City, and that's where were heading.

"Lets go"

I said after shaking off the images of people barricading themselves underground to never come up again.

"What's wrong with her?"

Vince said when Feb went to the back quietly.

“She found something disturbing”

I said not really wanting to go into detail.

"I'm going to go talk to her."

Vince said getting off the couch. I wanted to keep him far away from her. He was the captain of the basketball team who had a reputation of keeping a girlfriend no longer than it took to get his car washed. But before I could say something, he was already shutting the door to the back room.

"Looks like Vince is stepping into your territory"

Camille said laughing .

"I'm not worried about anything."

I tried to reply coolly but I was anything but.

We heard small giggles and the door slowly creaked open . Feb walks out with my blue t-shirt on, black leggins, and pink socks on. Her starry hazel eyes were wet but she was smiling…laughing in fact. Vince brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"You know I got you baby girl no matter what."

Suddenly, Camille jumped into my lap and began kissing me.

“Wow."

Feb said, backing into her room. Mikey looked at me and shook his head chasing after her.

"What is wrong with you!?"

I screamed at Camille who was smiling smugly.

"Come one baby, we both know youre still in love with me. A girl like her wouldn’t know what to do with a man like you.”

She tried to kiss me again but I turned my face away.

“What we had in school was over way before any of this started and we both know that. Grow up.”

"You can go to H-"

Cami was cut off by a huge shake in the Rv.

Then came a putrid stench of rotting flesh and the buzz of The Stitched waiting on their new meal.

"February!"

I called out to her room desperately trying to reach her. I opened the door and she ran to my arms. I pick her up and run to the driver's seat. Quickly turning the key in the ignition, I began to drive away but it was too late, they were inside.

Grabbing my automatic ,I hid Feb in a compartment underneath the passenger's seat. A fail safe we had always talked about.

"AHHHH!"

Camille yelled in pain. I ran to the middle section to find her being bitten on the neck. The Stitched ‘s shriveled skin began to ripple and come alive into an almost human color.

POP! I fired the gun hitting The Stitched in the head. After throwing the body outside I go to Camille and lay her head in my lap.

"Shoot me. You never loved me anyway.'

She said while a single tear drop slid down her cheek. I look away and put the gun to her head. I pulled the trigger, and she bled all over my jeans. While I disposed of her body outside, I realized that I too let a tear slide down both my cheeks. Did I really just kill Camille?

I tried to feel something, anything, but my heart wouldn’t let me process.

“Luke?’

Vince shouted and I ran to the back. He was lying on the bed hyperventilating next to a body with a bullet hole in its head.

" You ok?"

He nodded to me.

" How are the girls?"

He says getting up slowly

“Camile is dead."

I looked down.

"What? What happened!"

Vince said, his eyes getting wide.

"Stitch-."

I choked feeling another tear drop off my face.

"Wait, where’s February?"

Vince said, lifting his eyebrow. I hurried and ran to the Rv cockpit to open the compartment underneath the seat. February was knocked out. I carried her towards Vince.

" What are we going to do now?"

I say holding her close to me.

Before he could respond Vince started throwing up blood. I snatch down his jacket off his neck and gasp. He was bitten. I reach for my gun and aim it at his head.

"Wait! Can I at least say goodbye to her?"

Mikey said with a great toll on his breath, his skin already began to wilt. I shook Feb and she woke up a few seconds later.

"Oh Vincent!"

She threw her arms around his neck like a child.

"I've been bitten."

He said weakly and held her tight. I shouldn't let them be this close but I would be less of a man if i take this moment with February away from him.

"I've been thinking IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU NO ONE CAN!"

Vincent shouted, biting her neck. She fell to the ground and I shot Vince in the head.

'February! Please don't do this."

I was unable to hold back my sobbing.

"Please kill me, I don't want to walk around without a soul."

She says weakly holding my hand.

"Can I wait until you change Feb?"

I kissed her fingertips. "

Yes" I don't have much time left! make sure the gun is loaded!"

February said, her caramel skin turning grey.her cheeks hollowed out and a fresh sheen of sweat coated her face. I begin to cry louder. I failed my only goal. I was supposed to make sure she lived and I failed.

'Luke , I've loved you ever since I first talked to you.”

“Oh February I love you too!'

I kissed her hair that still absurdly smelled like her strawberry shampoo. After kissing her forehead one last time I put the pillow on her face, got my gun and silenced her forever. How can I live without her? You're not. the voice inside my head sighed faintly. I go to the part of Feb's head that's bleeding the most and I drink her infected blood. It stings in my raw throat all the way down to my stomach. I go to the Rv cockpit and put myself into the compartment. I make sure the door is locked from the outside.An eternity of stitching myself back together was better than a life without her .