BEYOND THE DEAD ZONE | COMPLETE

Fifty |

Fifty |

The box turned out to be that small, dark room that had once contained Persephone. I was shoved into it blindly, my back slamming into a wall and I could hear the sound of a door shutting and locking tightly. I pulled the fabric off before rolling my eyes. I'd been here before, why did Cora think I needed to be blind to get here? It made very little sense to me but I had no company to ask that.

At least for all of ten seconds.

Then the false mirror lit up and Cora's face came into focus. "Hello Alpha."

"My ability," I hummed, cutting past the chit-chat. "Explain."

"Alpha," she sighed, tapping the glass. "You were the first one made out of all of us. You were supposed to be the cure. But there is no fucking cure. There is only more viruses. The special thing about you, is your virus lives off other viruses."

I shook my head. "That doesn't make sense.

"But it does," she snapped. "That's why you were sent away. When Beta died, you were mad. Like you did on the roof, you lashed out. Absorbing every zombie subject they had. By then me and Gamma had already been made. They were afraid you'd absorb us but you were also too valuable to kill. So, they sent you to Erin Mira Brooks."

"Why?" I demanded. "Why Mom?"

The tapping stopped. "Who knows. You should be asking me why you're still here."

"Fine," I hissed. "Why am I still here?"

"Because every smart leader needs a backup plan," she replied with a smirk. "You can absorb viruses, you can kill zombies by simply existing around them. I'd bet you could even absorb the original. Isn't it funny. Persephone could absorb memories and you can absorb viruses. One useless and the other? A useful tool to have, especially considering my plans. Wouldn't you agree?"

I snarled, "eat shit."

"No thanks," she pushed the button on the wall and the mirror returned. My messy reflection staring back at me instead of Cora's face. "Think about being my friend again. That's the only way you'll see the sky again. I do like you Eero. You've been kind to me. I'm sorry things turned out like this but I hope a little time in the box, a few years maybe, and we'll be cool again. Then we can change this world together. The sun rises in eight hours. When it does, I'll be turning all of The Dead Zone into the Delta Zone. There won't be anyone left. But they will be changed. Better. You'll see. This is for the best."

I bit my lip to keep from speaking. For the best? Panic rose in my chest as I leaned against the wall. I had failed and now, in eight hours, everyone would die. My lip quivered and I tried to keep the tears back but failed. Everyone was going to die, and it was all my fault.

"God damn it," I sobbed, covering my face with my arm and just screaming.

Screaming and screaming. With all the emotions and pressure that felt like it weighed me down. I screamed for my family, and for myself. I screamed for the world and lack of. If I was being honest, I knew how royally I fucked up and I didn't want to live to see that world. I couldn't face all my friends and family as zombies. I'd rather fucking die.

"There's a special thing in our blood," a soft voice said.

I looked up, jolting. There was nothing around but myself and my reflection and the room was so dark that I could barely see that. My eyes squinted at my reflection until I realized that it seemed a lot taller than myself. It was Mom-shaped and what looked to be red eyes stared back at me. They glowed like a haunting, but I didn't have any fear.

After all, who could fear ghosts when the world was about to end?

"What are you?" I murmured.

"Apart of you maybe?" the woman replied coolly. "Or maybe something else. Go to the source. Figure it out for yourself."

"Figure what out?"

There was no response, and I rubbed my eyes. It was very possible that I was going insane. Actually, it was definitely the reality of my situation. Defeat made people snap. When reality wasn't a possibility, the mind went into self-preservation mode. The thing was, I wasn't ready to give up yet. Maybe I should have been, but I was fueled with too much hatred in my heart. I would have Cora's fucking head on a stick if it was the last thing I did.

The source.

What the hell was the source?

The more I thought about it, the more I grew confused.

So, I shoved myself up and towards the door. The knob turned less than an inch before stopping, and a frown plucked onto my face. No shit it was locked. Taking a breath, I leaned back before spinning on my heel and shoving myself forward. To have the door swing open under me. I let out a cry, slamming into a body. Cold hands caught me and when I reoriented myself, I looked up to a familiar face and the prettiest green eyes I'd ever seen.

They looked like Mom's eyes.

"H-how?" I whispered, fat tears gathering in my eyes.

She looked down at me frightened, her voice comforting. "Do not do that."

"Do what?" I sniffled.

"Cry over me," Persephone grunted, patting my head. "I can't be killed by the likes of Cora. Besides, she practically threw me off the roof with four cushions."

A choked giggle left my lips. "I'm glad you're alright."

"I'm glad you are," she sighed. "Now will we kill her?"

I caught her arm. "Wait. Not yet."

"Okay. Where will we go first?"

I nodded my head with confidence. "The source."

Persephone tilted her head. When she did, she frowned. "I don't know what that means."

"Fuck. Neither do I! The reflection thing told me to look for the source. Like a poorly written horror novel. Ah shit, I should have realized it was garbage advice because it was a talking reflection. Who does that?"

"The source," she hummed, tapping her chin. "The source."

"Forget it," I grumbled, kicking an imaginary rock. "Cora's still human. We can kill her the normal way. Like a gun or a knife or something. Shit, I guess we have to find a gun or a knife or something. I seemed to have been unarmed."

"We can check the room where Eric Maxwell is in?"

I looked at her. "Why? Does he have weapons?"

"Well. If it's the source you seek, then maybe he's the source? We were all created from his dna—our virus versions came from his. Perhaps that's what you mean?"

My eyes lit up. "You are a genius!"