I turned around, there was nothing there
The sports hall doors crashed open as they stumbled through, each of them bloodied, bruised, and barely standing. Taissa leaned heavily on Shauna, her body barely staying upright as Shauna supported her, but they had made it.
The others were already inside, rushing to them, expressions tight with concern, but there was a glimmer of relief in their eyes. They weren't too late.
Julianna barely registered the rush of voices around her, the sense of chaos settling around them like a storm. Van was the first to reach Taissa, immediately taking her weight from Shauna's side. It almost made Julianna smile—there was something unspoken between them. The kind of bond that didn't need words. But there was no time to linger on it.
Misty and Jeff had already reached her, their eyes scanning her with worry. "You good, Julianna?" Misty asked, her voice low and tense, suspicious if anything. But Julianna didn't answer, not in any way that made sense. She just nodded, too tired to speak, too numb to explain.
Jackie was hovering near Shauna, eyes filled with concern as she checked on her. It was almost surreal to see them all so torn, so broken, but still functioning. Still alive.
But Julianna's focus was elsewhere. She had felt the stinging pulse of pain from the bite on her arm ever since she'd wrapped it up, but she hadn't mentioned it. She was too terrified of the consequences. Too terrified of what might happen if she voiced the truth.
Misty moved past her, helping Taissa with her injured ribs, and Julianna watched them for a moment, absentmindedly playing with her fingers out of habit.
Her breath was shallow as she walked over to the bleachers, taking a seat on the cold metal. Her legs felt like jelly, her body sore all over, but it was the blood on her skin that bothered her most. It was drying and sticky, uncomfortable and still too fresh. She needed to get clean, needed to feel something other than the grim layer of death.
Without another word, she got up, making her way to the showers in the back. The sound of her footsteps echoed in the empty hall, and for a moment, she just let herself breathe. The cold water helped clear the haze in her head, washing away the grime and the blood, the reality of what they had just survived, them, not her. Her skin stung under the spray, but it felt like a relief—almost like she was scrubbing away the fear, the sense of doom that had settled in her chest.
As she cleaned herself off, she took a moment to examine her bite, her inner wrist a mangled piece of flesh. She hadn't experienced any of the symptoms yet, but she couldn't shake the dread that it was only a matter of time. The mark was deep, the wound still oozing despite her hurried attempt at bandaging it.
When she finally finished and stepped out of the showers, her skin was clean, the blood washed away. But the weight on her shoulders hadn't lightened. She still felt the familiar dull throb of the bite on her arm, the knowledge that her fate had been sealed the moment that infected had latched onto her.
But for now, she couldn't focus on that. Not while Taissa was struggling with her injuries, not while everyone else was in their own state of shock, trying to piece themselves back together. She wasn't ready to let anyone see how bad it was.
She moved back into the main hall, her feet dragging as she walked. The others were talking in hushed tones, and she caught glimpses of them, their faces strained, their minds reeling.
Instead of joining them, she leaned against the wall, her eyes drifting shut for a brief moment.
A few hours had passed since their frantic scramble to safety, the adrenaline starting to wear off, leaving everyone drained and bruised. The sports hall was quiet, save for the soft murmurs of voices, all of them trying to piece together the madness they had survived. Shauna had taken the lead in their disjointed circle, her voice low as she prepared to explain what she had heard on the radio. The others sat in a tense silence, waiting for some glimmer of hope in the midst of their exhaustion and uncertainty.
Julianna sat slightly apart from the others, her back pressed against the wall, eyes downcast, trying not to think about the pulsing ache in her arm. The last thing they needed was another casualty to deal with. Instead, she focused on Shauna's words, on the flickering promise of hope that seemed to be slipping away from them with each passing hour.
Shauna cleared her throat, glancing around the circle, locking eyes with each person before speaking. "We... we heard this woman on the radio. Kaitlyn. She's in charge of some sort of operation in Kansas City. She said they're setting up a safe zone, and they've got a working water system, food supply, all of it. And they're looking for a cure... for what this is." Shauna paused, letting her words sink in before continuing. "She said it's been running for ten days, and they're doing thorough checks for infection before they let people in."
The room fell silent as everyone processed the information. For a few moments, there was nothing but the sound of heavy breathing and the weight of uncertainty hanging over them.
Julianna shifted uncomfortably, the silence biting into her. She hadn't spoken much since they'd come back to the school, still trying to shake off the lingering dizziness from her earlier sprint. But something nagged at her—something she needed to say, that she narrowly forgot about.
"I think.. I know what the other mutation the news was talking about." Her voice was quiet, hesitant.
The others turned their attention to her, and she felt her stomach twist with the pressure of their gazes. "I... I think it's the infected mimicking us. Like, when Taissa and Shauna were in trouble earlier, they... the infected—they started mimicking your voices. I heard it. It sounded like you guys." She faltered for a moment, the memory of the distorted cries still fresh in her mind. "And when I was out there... running around... I was almost attacked by one of them, because it sounded like you—Taissa." She avoided looking at her, suddenly feeling awkward.
The others exchanged glances, the gravity of her words settling over the group like a heavy fog. Shauna was the first to speak, her voice tight with the aftershock of their narrow escape. "You're saying... they can mimic us? Like... they learn our voices?"
"Yeah," Julianna nodded, biting her lip. "It's possible. I don't think it's every infected, but it's a type." She paused, heart racing. "And I think it's dangerous. We need to be careful about who we trust when we're out there."
"So..Mimics?" Jeff suggested we call them.
The room was quiet again, the realization settling in. The infected were evolving in ways they hadn't even begun to understand, and now, they were mimicking the very people they needed to survive. It was terrifying—and it raised more questions than answers.
Shauna cleared her throat, taking control again. "Right. We need to stick together. But we also need a plan. Kaitlyn talked about Kansas City being a safe zone, but... it's a long way. We don't even know what's out there." She looked around at the group, eyes flickering to Taissa and then back to the others. "Do we think it's worth the risk? Could we really make it there?"
Lottie, her face drawn and tired, spoke up. "A few months of travel. That's a huge risk." She glanced at Taissa, who had been holding her ribs since they arrived. "We're not even sure we can survive another day if this keeps up."
"But it's something," Natalie added, voice tight with determination. "It's hope. We're just running in circles here. Maybe if we can get there, we can find a cure. Maybe we can save the rest of us." Her eyes flicked to Julianna, and she seemed to catch something in the girl's expression, but didn't comment on it.
Julianna looked down at her hands, arms crossed tightly over her chest, trying to mask the way her heart raced. She wasn't ready to tell them about the bite. Not when they were talking about something that could give them a chance. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden, especially when they were talking about something bigger than her.
"There's a lot we don't know," Taissa said softly, her voice hoarse from everything she had been through. "But I think... I think we should try. A small group first. Keep in touch through radios, maybe try to make contact with others along the way."
Everyone turned to her, the weight of the decision heavy in the air. After a few moments of silent consideration, the group seemed to reach a consensus. "A small group, then," Shauna confirmed. "We take it slow. If we can keep communication open with each other, maybe we can make it work."
"And if something happens to us along the way, we have a backup plan," Natalie added. "We make sure the others have a way to get out too."
The conversation shifted after that, as the group began discussing who should go. It was clear they needed people who could move quickly and quietly, people who could take care of themselves. And they needed people who weren't afraid to take risks.
Julianna couldn't sleep. The quiet of the gym felt suffocating, her mind running in circles as she stared up at the dark ceiling. By morning, she knew things would change. She'd turn. She would attack everyone. But she couldn't do anything. So, she lay there, wide awake, listening to the sounds of the others trying to sleep, trying to find some semblance of peace in the inevitable.
But it was impossible.
She turned to her side, hoping sleep would come, but instead her eyes caught Jeff's silhouette across the room, sitting up. She wasn't sure why, but there he was, leaning against the wall, staring into the darkness with a furrowed brow. She studied him for a moment, feeling a strange pull to confront him, as if his restless energy mirrored her own.
"Can't sleep either?" she asked softly, her voice barely a whisper against the quiet. He turned to look at her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"No," Jeff said with a tired sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. He hesitated, then added, "There's something I need to tell you."
Julianna raised an eyebrow, curious despite herself. "Okay, what's up?" she asked, sitting up slowly, her gaze never leaving his face. She couldn't help but feel a hint of tension, something unspoken between them that made her uneasy.
He ran a hand through his messy hair, glancing around as though searching for the right words. "A couple months ago..." he started, his voice quieter now, more serious. "I hooked up with Shauna."
Julianna blinked, her heart skipping a beat. For a moment, she couldn't process what he'd said. "Wait, what?" she asked, her voice rising in disbelief.
"Yeah," Jeff said, looking down at the floor as though the words hurt him too. "Jackie and I... we were still together. We are still together. But it... it happened."
Julianna's jaw dropped. She let out a humorless laugh, the sound bitter and full of disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me," she scoffed, shaking her head. "My own brother? Cheating on his girlfriend with her best friend?" Her laugh wasn't real. It was a reflex—something to cover the surprise, the hurt, the overwhelming frustration that threatened to bubble up.
Jeff's face reddened, his eyes darting away. "I don't know what happened, Jules. It just... did. And I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." His voice was raw, tinged with regret.
She looked at him, completely incredulous. "I'm not even gonna ask why," she said, shaking her head again. "I think you're a terrible person for doing that, Jeff. You know that, right?"
Jeff didn't respond immediately, guilt flooding his expression. The words stung, but he didn't argue. Julianna didn't expect him to. She didn't need to hear him apologize again. It wouldn't fix anything.
There was a long silence between them, but then Julianna sighed heavily, knowing she had a secret of her own pressing on her. She wasn't just here to listen to his confession.
"I've got something to tell you, too," she muttered, pulling up her sleeve.
Jeff's brow furrowed in confusion, but then he saw the blood seeping through the bandages, and his face went pale. "Jules..." he whispered, his voice shaking slightly.
"I got bit," she said quietly, the words slipping out with a hollow finality. She watched as his eyes widened in disbelief, his face morphing into a mask of horror and concern. She could feel his panic, but she didn't want his pity.
"I want you to keep an eye on me throughout the night," she added, voice trembling despite her efforts to sound steady. "And when I turn... you have to shoot me, Jeff. You have to."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. She'd barely even admitted it to herself, let alone said it out loud. But it was the truth. She could feel it in her bones, the poison seeping deeper every second, the promise of what she would become. The infected. She'd lose herself, and she didn't want to hurt anyone.
Jeff's face twisted with anguish. "No," he said, shaking his head violently. "I won't do that. I won't shoot you, Jules. I can't."
She met his gaze, her eyes filled with a sadness that made her chest ache. "You have to. If I turn, if I hurt someone, you have to. I can't die knowing i'll do that." Her voice cracked on the last words, the weight of the reality crashing down on her. She was running out of time.
"I'm not gonna shoot you," Jeff repeated, his voice tight with desperation. "You're my sister. I won't do it." His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "We'll figure something else out. There's gotta be another way."
Julianna took a deep breath, steadying herself. "I don't think you don't understand. If I turn, you don't have a choice. You have to do it before I hurt someone else. Before I—before I hurt you." She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. Not now when she was asking so much of him.
Jeff's eyes were glassy, the tears threatening to break free. He reached out, grabbing her hand with a firm grip. "I can't lose you, Jules," he whispered. His voice was cracked with emotion, the weight of everything they'd been through finally breaking through. "You're the only family I have left. I won't—"
"You have to," she said, her voice shaking now, more desperate than before. "If I turn, you have to. Promise me."
A long moment passed. Jeff's chest rose and fell with uneven breaths, the fight in his eyes slowly fading. "I can't promise that," he said, his voice barely audible. "But... I'll be here. I'll stay with you. I won't leave you, I swear."
Julianna squeezed his hand, her eyes shutting for a brief moment, as if trying to block out the dark thoughts swirling in her mind. She didn't know what was worse—knowing that she was losing control of herself or the thought of her brother having to be the one to end it.
But the reality of it was sinking in, heavy and unforgiving. There were no more answers, no more hope. Just survival. And the promise that, when the time came, her brother would have to do the impossible.
She nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "I'll hold you to that, Jeff."