Jessica Sorensen: Darkness Fades

“Are you okay?” I yell out as I glance around with the dagger out in front of me.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” he says, but I feel his lie all over him. “It’s just a little scratch. I’ll heal.”

I swallow hard, feeling the end nearing. The wall is gone; cars are toppled on the ground in piles with bodies around me of both the abominations and people. Some of the people are rushing into their homes while others flee down the side of the wall, heading to the other end of the city. A few more are heading to the center of the city, trying to get away.

It hits me as the abominations chase them down towards the center of the city that we need to get somewhere where we can corner them. We need to keep them from heading further into the city towards the lab; somewhere where we can keep them from coming at us in all directions.

“Gather some of the Day Takers and follow me!” I yell to Sylas and to the people still alive around me. “We need to lead them another way!”

Sylas nods and then races off to gather them while I gather the stronger people around me. Once we all regroup, I take off and they follow me up the street.

“And make a lot of noise!” I shout out. When Sylas gives me a funny look, I add, “It’ll get them to follow us and move them away from the weak.”

He nods again and we make noise as we run down the street swiftly. I shout, trying to get the abominations to follow me, diverting them from going towards the lab. For the most part, it works. Many of them follow us, although some stay behind.

There are fires burning where people have fallen to the ground, dropping their torches, and blood stains the ground. Many of abominations are right on our heels, which is right where I want them. Finally, we reach the alley that Maci took me to earlier. I’m a little out of breath while, at the same time, my cuts aren’t healing as quickly as they normally do.

“This is where we can hold them off without them attacking us from other sides,” I say as we reach the alley with the people and even the Day Takers more out of breath then Sylas and I. “You four with spears line the width of the alley.” I point at four people holding swords then move my finger to another group of people. “You two go herd more in our direction.” I slide my finger to the Day Takers. “And you stay behind me and wait for any to get through.”

Everyone follows their orders, taking off in different directions. Seconds later, a handful of abominations rip around the corner, a herd of them at the others’ heels. Their eyes bleed as they rush at us, their feet plowing at the ground. The front row target their spears and swords towards the front of the alley. Seconds later, the first group of abominations collides with their weapons. Sharp points pierce their rotting flesh and they die almost instantly, crumpling to the ground. More keep coming, though, and then the people behind me suddenly burst around in a panic and barrel towards the beasts.

“Stop!” I cry. “Fall back!”

They don’t listen, and all I can do is fight. I stab the first abomination that reaches me and blood spurts all over my face. I tear the dagger from its body and spin into the next, stabbing at its chest. Sylas moves beside me, and we fight together, dipping and dodging as we slice through flesh, coating ourselves in their blood.

The abominations’ bodies pile up at the alley and create a small barrier for us. My mood begins to lift as I think that maybe, just maybe, we can beat them. Then I hear a loud thudding noise that grows louder and louder before I then feel a ripple in the ground. I know before I see it what it is.

Moments later, the over-sized abomination charges around the corner of the building and down the alleyway at us. The rest of the abominations move out of the way, creating a path for it to get straight to the pile at the end of the alley and to us. There’s nowhere to go and I’m not sure if we’ll survive fighting it.

“What the hell do I do?” I mutter, glancing around at the Day Takers and people waiting for me to give them a command.

I feel someone touch my arm. I turn my head to meet Sylas’s eyes.

“Run,” he says in a low voice, his eyes pressing for me to listen.

I shake my head. “No… I’m not running away like a coward. What the hell are you talking about?”

His grip on my arm tightens as the massive beast starts to charge over the wall of abominations at the end of the alley. “You are the key to the cure. No one else,” he presses. “Go back to the lab. Make sure that you get Mathew and the others out of here... make sure you survive.”

He jerks me towards him and kisses me quickly. I barely register it before he’s shoving me away, breathless. He whirls around, sprinting for the beast. Even though it tears me apart, I do what I have to do. I hurry and spring over the wall at the end of the alley, landing on the other side in another street, telling myself he’ll make it. That he’s a Day Walker. Deep down, I’m not sure, though. I’m not sure of anything anymore.

Blood stains the building walls and the ground below me. Horrifying screams blare at me from every angle, but I shut out the sight and run. I pass the blood and abominations, pass the bodies, pass all the death.

Was this all worth it? If Mathew’s still alive, will he even be able to save everyone? Will I be able to go through with the fading?

I shove these thoughts from my mind when I reach the lab. Nichelle is gone, along with everyone else, except for one person lying dead on the ground. Her red hair is scattered across the blood stained ground, her flawless features frozen in time, like death managed to preserve her beauty. I feel my dead heart inside my chest ache for a second, taking in the death of Emmy.

She stares up at the sky, her eyes open, her arms lifelessly to her side. I crouch down and let my fingers drift over her eyelids, shutting her eyes, letting myself feel what I need to. Letting myself realize what I have to do.

I get to my feet and head for the door. There are signs of a struggle, blood splattered on the front section of the wall, boot tracks in the dirt leading away from the building, blood all around them.

I open the door and rush inside, running to the lab. It’s quiet inside, however it looks untouched. The only signs of a mess are the vials everywhere, yet it was like that before.

“Mathew?” I call out quietly, vigilantly entering the room with my dagger out.

There’s silence and then I hear a whimper as Mathew jumps up from behind the table. “Kayla.” He glances over me; cuts and gashes, blood soaking my clothes. “God, what’s going on out there?”

“Did you figure it out?” I ask, stepping towards him. “Please tell me you figured out if my blood and the virus replicates like it’s supposed to.”

“Not yet,” he replies. “I’m still waiting to see if time will get the process moving.” He glances down at his arms. “Like your blood did with me.”

I walk to his side and rest my hand on his back, trying to shake out this bottomless, hopeless feeling. “You know you can fight, right?” I ask. “You don’t have to hide behind tables.”

He glances up at me. “I know, but I also don’t want to risk the chance of dying, either. I need to figure all this out before I die. You and I… we need to make sure we survive so that we can move forward.”

He waits expectantly for me to say that I’m with him, that I’ll do the fading. My mouth opens, ready to give him my answer, but then I snap it shut when I hear the door open. I know it’s not an abomination because they can’t open doors, so I don’t know who to expect.

When I turn my head and look in the direction of the doorway, I wish it’d been the abominations.