To Be A Champion

Chapter 49: Lady In Red Part 2

I'm almost at the town. My heart pounds. Something is pulsing in my head, feeling as if it's going to crack open my skull.

There's red fungus growing under my nails.

"The fungus creates a hive mind for V-Types," Frances reports. "The more of it people have in their blood, the more it's linking them. Shona's piggybacking on that connection to control people, like poor Rory. Sam and Nicole are still in that shack. I've-I've lost them on coms!"

I sob. Every reminder that I've left them is torment. It feels like my heart is being ripped out of my chest.

Sam.

I told him I loved him, and I do. I love him so much, more than anything, but I should have said more. I'm unsure what, but I should have said more. My love for him overflows, and my words should have shown it, but all I could get out was a measly three words.

I didn't even get to say those words to Nicole, my sister, the sister I nearly lost on this damn island. I didn't even tell Songbird how much she means to me. And I left her. I left her alone with the task of holding back my turning husband after she shot the one man she's ever had any romantic interest in. I left her with the job of holding Sam back after he turns and holding Rory back when he comes back as a V-Type or ghoul.

I know she volunteered, but I should have had her go. I shouldn't have left her to see Rory's dead body, waiting for him to come back. I shouldn't have made her stay behind with him, not when I know how it feels to kill someone you care about so much.

I spot Janine and Jody up ahead. Janine looks sickly, and Jody's eyes are almost entirely red. I stop for a breather once I meet them, but being able to get in air only makes me want to break down and cry more.

I force back the sobs, and they ignore my tears. I'm grateful. I think I'd break if they pointed them out.

"There's the town square ahead," Jody points out, looking through binoculars. "We can't evacuate everyone. Fungus is covering buildings, streets, flowing out of pits in the ground. Shona's outside the museum with a line of V-types. She's half enveloped in fungus. It's rising around her like a cloak."

"The geyser is in the museum forecourt just behind the gates. We must get past Miss Reid," Janine states.

"Preferably with deadly force."

Janine shoots the blonde a look at that, but I completely agree. Because of her, Nicole had to kill Rory, and now she and Sam are going to die, if they're not already dead. She's lucky I don't rip her head off.

I want to. Oh, how I want to. I want it to be violent and painful and agonizing.

I hear the rumble of an engine, and I watch as Morag drives the tractor into town at full speed. They must have managed to fix it, probably with Janine's help. Paula is on the back, pouring a gas can over the side don't the fungus and any nearby V-Types. Morag's driving it straight towards the town square, towards Shona.

My breathing isn't even remotely controlled, but I start running again. If I can't take part in Shona's death, I at least want to be here to see it. I want to see that thing run her over and grind her to a pulp.

The only red I was to see right now is her blood staining the ground.

"Morag, don't roll the window down!" Frances warns although the older woman doesn't listen.

I hear her over my headset coughing. "Shona Reid! Your ma was the kindest woman I ever knew, and she'd be ashamed of you ten ways for this!"

Fungus around Shona's feet drags her out of the way of the tractor like a tide, the movement hauntingly fluid. V-Types charge for the tractor, snarling and growling. Paula lights a match and throws it where she'd poured the gasoline.