As the scorching sun rose above the trees, the Reapers hissed, then turned to run back into their lair, leaving us panting, exhausted, and devastated at the loss of our comrade. Tears dripped down my cheeks as I ran my fingers through my hair with a sob…Pulling at the tips of my hair in frustration.
Treyson took a step towards me, but JR glared at him as he said, "Don't cry, Bree," as he wrapped his arms around me in a hug.
I hugged my brother back, thankful that he was still here and uninjured. "I knew that some of us could possibly lose our lives, but I didn't expect it so soon…"
I heard Treyson sigh before stepping towards Will's body, then pulled out a wicked-looking curved knife as he knelt down and stabbed Will in the head.
I gasped at the sight, rushing towards Treyson in anger, "Why did you do that!?"
Treyson let out a deep sigh as he rubbed his hands over his tired face. He placed his hands on my shoulders and began to explain the gruesome reality of a screamer, Zombie, and Reaper attack. "Once a human or an animal is bitten by any of these creatures, the transformation process begins. First, the victim will turn into a screamer, a horrifying sight to behold. Then, as time passes, the screamer will evolve into a Zombie, its body decaying and its mind lost to the insatiable hunger for flesh. But that's not even the worst part. If the head or brain of the zombie manages to survive for over a year, it will transform into a Reaper... Putting a knife through your friend's head ensured that he would not go through the change."
I swallowed hard as I contemplated what Treyson said, then ran my hands through my hair with a sigh, "I'm sorry, Trey; I should have known you had a good reason for doing that."
Treyson's lips curved into a crooked smile, "No worries, let's get out of here before we all burn to death." he said as he pulled off his pack to pull out a hoodie before slipping it over his head.
"Where should we go?" I asked, looking around, "We need to get to the lab, but we all need a good rest first."
"I know of a place nearby," Treyson says as he wraps his arm around my shoulders.
Xavier, who somehow survived until now, crossed his arms and scoffed, "Why should we trust a ghoul? How do we know you aren't taking us to your friends so they could eat us?"
Treyson rolled his eyes with a sigh as he shrugged his muscular shoulders, "Because if I wanted to kill you, you would have been dead already."
I couldn't help but snicker and shake my head, "This man just saved our asses; it shouldn't matter if he is a ghoul or a human; a friend is a friend."
Thankfully, Xavier had no further comment as we followed Treyson through the maze of trees and houses that the forest had reclaimed some time ago.
Treyson led us to a large building that was covered in vines but still looked like it had somehow survived. Some of the rusted words on the front of the building were gone, but there was still an M, a T, and an L, whatever that meant… With a shrug, we followed Treyson through a door that was hidden behind vines and stepped into what looked like a kitchen…Interesting…
"We should be safe here for the night, "Trey said as he slid off his pack, "I don't hear anything harmful nearby."
"So, tell me again, how do the two of you know each other?" Demands JR as he stands firm with his arms crossed, looking so much like Father I had to blink and shake my head.
"The day that we were attacked by those ghouls and zombies, I got separated from you and Dad. If it hadn't been for Trey, I would have been eaten… But he grabbed my hand and pulled me through the horde of monsters and saved me…"
JR nodded as he stroked the scruff on his chin, looking back and forth between Treyson and me, "Okay, I can understand that… But when did you get acquainted? You haven't been out of the colony since Dad died."
I ran my fingers through my hair with a sigh, "Treyson was there when we fought the large horde of zombies, I don't know how he ended up there, but I do know he has been helping us since."
JR looked over at Treyson, who was now sitting cross-legged on the counter with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting in his hands as he listened, looking kinda childish…
"Okay, I can understand that as well; he happened to be nearby when we needed help…but why the hell has he been following us since then?"
I reached into my kevlar vest and pulled out my rainbow-throwing dagger with a smile. "He was returning this to me; I must have dropped it that day."
JR took the dagger from me, then turned it around in his hands while looking from me to Treyson, who had his eyebrows raised as he listened.
"Well, then Treyson…Why have you been following us? You could have returned home once you returned the dagger."
"Well, I honestly was curious as to what you guys were up to and decided to follow…" he said with a shrug of his shoulders, then turned to me and winked, "And I also can't seem to take my eyes off Bree."
I felt my cheeks burn with the heat of my embarrassment, and at the same time, butterflies fluttered in my stomach, causing me to smile. I wasn't too sure what this feeling was, but I was starting to like it…I shook my head and snickered when he said he couldn't keep his eyes off of me… the man is completely blind…
Xavier scoffed as he tried and failed to mimic my brother. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin, "Like you have a chance at attracting Bree. She would choose me any day over a ghoul." He snarked with a shake of his head.
I rolled my eyes as Treyson turned his face towards me with a quirked brow, then snorted a laugh as he hopped from the counter to take a step towards me.
"So, you would choose a man who is so weak that I can smell the stench of his fear?" Treyson taunted as he paced around me with his right eyebrow quirked.
I shook my head before turning towards Xavier, "I have told you I don't know how many times that I want nothing to do with you, Xavier."
"You would really choose this mutant ghoul over me?" Xavier asked with a shocked expression on his face.
I snuck a look at Treyson, who had that crooked smile on his face. Did I feel attracted to Treyson? I would be an idiot if I denied it…but it was all still very new to me, but the answer to Xavier's question would be, "Yes, Xavier…I would choose Treyson over you…"
Treyson's face lit up with a smile as he crossed his arms with a smug look on his face.
Xavier furrowed his brows and muttered under his breath, his frustration evident in his body language. He shook his head in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened, and continued to grumble to himself as he disappeared down the hall.
I rubbed at my temples with a groan as I felt a headache starting to fester…
"I think we should save the rest of the drama for later; we are all exhausted and could use some sleep." Says JR as he hooks an arm around Izzy's waist and disappears through the doorway.
With a shrug, I dragged my aching feet through the door JR had just disappeared through, finding a very dusty and moldy dining room.
"I wonder what the world was like before the war…" I said to Treyson as he walked silently beside me, "I heard some stories from my father and others in the colony… but it all seems so far-fetched…
Treyson shrugged his shoulders, "I have also heard some stories from the people in my community. They talk about things like going to school or going to a restaurant where you had to order food at a counter and use money to pay for it…"
As we continued through the building, we found a hall full of closed doors. When I opened one, it seemed to look like a small room with an ancient mattress, a table, and an odd-looking rectangular electronic device from way back before the war… I think I remember Father calling them Televisions… I think…
With a shrug, I left the door open and set my pack on the floor before exploring the bed. I jumped in fright at the sound of a loud hiss. I gasped in shock when an odd-looking creature darted out from under the bed.
As I looked at the creature before me, I couldn't help but be drawn to its unique and fascinating features. It had four strong and agile legs that seemed to be built for speed and agility. Its face had a feline appearance with piercing eyes that had a strange mix of cat and reptile-like qualities. The long and slender body was covered in a pattern of grayish-brown scales with intricate black stripes that added an extra layer of detail and beauty to its already impressive appearance. As the creature flicked out its forked tongue, I couldn't help but feel fascinated by its presence.
"What the hell is that?" I asked Treyson.
Treyson let out a light-hearted chuckle, "Ah, that's a Serline - a hybrid of a serpent and a feline. They do look adorable, but be careful not to get bitten by them. Some species of Serlines are venomous and can cause serious harm."
I went to take a step towards the Serline, but the creature arched its back in a hiss before taking off through the doorway.
With a sigh, I plopped down on the mattress, sending years' worth of dust into the air, throwing me into a coughing fit.
Treyson coughed, too, as he dug into his pack, pulled out a jug full of water, and took a deep chug before handing it to me.
I happily took the water and chugged it down; when my thirst was quenched, I handed the jug back to Treyson, who set the jug of water on a nearby table before digging through his pack and pulling out a jar and a couple things wrapped in cloth.
I watched as he unraveled the first cloth and revealed a loaf of a type of bread I had never seen before, then unwrapped the second cloth to reveal some dried meat.
With a shrug, I grabbed my pack and pulled out a small bag of granola bars, a jar of ham and beans, and my own dried meat.
I watched Treyson cock his head and sniff the air before reaching for the bag of granola bars.
"Would you like one?" I asked as I opened the bag and pulled one out, "We have some skilled people in the kitchens who make amazing food and snacks. These granola bars are made with grains, raisins, and honey they gathered from a hive of Butterbees."
"I have had Butterbee honey before but not made like this," he explained as he took one of the bars and took a bite, "This is fucking delicious!"
I snickered as I handed him a few more before opening the jar of ham and beans. As the two of us ate, I couldn't help but feel curious about how he got the nasty scar on his face.
"Would you feel offended if I asked how you got the scar on your face?" I asked Treyson as I scooped out another spoonful of ham and beans.
Treyson shook his head as he swallowed what he had been eating, then said, "Not at all… in my community of Sangfroid, the majority of the people were once called Native Americans who called themselves Chickasaw. The Natives of Chickasaw are very spiritual people who look up to their elders for guidance into adulthood. When it was time for me to go through what we call our "vision quest," the community, or I guess you can just call it a village…The village would throw a pow-wow, where I was "cleansed" before the elders used a type of sacred paint to draw symbols all over my body.
"When the sun started to set, I was taken to our sacred place in the forest close to our village and had to spend the next four days and nights alone, without any food or water. I did have a few selected people who stood close by in case something undead appeared, but other than that, I was all alone… I was already impacted due to the fact that I was born blind, but I refused to give up. As I embarked on my "Vision quest," I had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with an Eagarl, a rare and fascinating hybrid species that is a cross between a cougar and an eagle."
"The Eagarl is a magnificent creature with a body that resembles that of a cougar but with a unique twist. Instead of traditional paws, the Eagarl has two powerful talons on each of its front legs, similar to those of an eagle, which it uses to grasp prey and climb trees with ease. Its body is covered in light golden feathers, and it has striking golden brown eyes that seem to glow in the sunlight. But the most awe-inspiring feature of the Eagarl is undoubtedly its wings; the Eagarl is capable of soaring through the sky with grace and agility. Its wings are covered in the same golden feathers as the rest of its body, and its long, feathered tail serves as a rudder, allowing it to make sharp turns and sudden movements in the air. The Eagarl had approached me. Like an idiot, I tried to reach out and touch the creature, but it took a good swipe at me and got me in the face and down my chest."
"When I returned to the village, I was given the name Náshdóítsoh by my people and was named the protector and became a respected warrior among our tribe."
"That's a pretty cool story…"I mumbled as I yawned, man I was pooped.
Treyson's lips curved into a crooked smile; I was so tired that I laid my head on Treyson's shoulder, reveling in his scent and his warmth. I can't seem to help my growing attraction towards this man.
I flinched in fright when Treyson's rough and calloused thumb brushed against my cheek. I felt his breath on my skin as he leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to my forehead, leaving a sweet and lingering kiss that sent shivers down my spine.
Caught up in the moment, I reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, then pulled his head down to touch my lips to his. Treyson released a deep, throaty moan as he cupped the back of my head to deepen the kiss, igniting a burning inferno inside of me as I rose up on my knees to wrap my arms around his neck.
As Trayson and I embraced, his arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. Our lips parted, and we both gasped for air. Trayson's fingers traced the contours of my back as we kissed, and I felt an electric spark run through my body.
After a moment, Trayson let go of me and reached behind him to grab the back of his shirt. With one fluid motion, he pulled it off, revealing his muscular chest. I noticed several scars on his torso, each with its own story. The most prominent one ran from his right shoulder to his navel, a series of four jagged marks that looked like they were caused by the Eagarl. As I traced my fingers over the scars, I couldn't help but wonder about the battles Trayson had fought and the hardships he had endured.
Treyson gripped under my thighs as he stood, then laid down on the bed before tucking me into his side. "Let's get some sleep; we need to be well-rested for whatever the world might throw at us during this journey."
As he spoke, I struggled to keep my eyes open, my mind drifting away from his words. The world around me seemed to blur and fade until it was nothing more than a hazy, distant memory. I felt myself sinking, weightless, into the soft embrace of sleep, my consciousness slipping away into the darkness. Every sound and sensation faded to nothingness until there was only the tranquility of slumber.