The Infection

Chapter 23

"Ben...Ben, it's time to wake up." Ben took in a sharp breath and quickly opened his eyes to a blinding white light. He squinted and tried to blink it away, but then something came into view...someone. 

Cassie. 

Ben furrowed his eyebrows and slightly lifted his head up to get a better look at her. She looked absolutely stunning. Her hair was a little more blonde and sleek, her face was washed and glowing. She looked like an angel. 

"Cass," he breathed. "What are you doing, sweetheart? You need to be resting, you can't be up." She gave him a bright smile and said, "I'm fine, Ben. It's you who jumped out of a window." He chuckled and looked around. 

The brightness was gone, showing him a bedroom. A very clean and spacious bedroom. It was so white, it was almost blinding. "Cass...baby, where are we?" He looked back over to her, but then his eyes blew wide and he quickly sat up in bed. 

She had to be at least eight months pregnant. "Wha...what...what's going on?" He asked. She didn't give him an answer, but simply put her hand over her stomach. Ben was so entranced by this, he didn't even notice her lack of an answer. 

He scooted over to the edge of the bed until he was in front of her. His face was mere inches from her stomach. "Is...is it mine?" He softly asked. She giggled, something he hasn't heard from her in a long time, then said, "Of course she's yours." 

"She?" He asked. "We're having a girl? We're having...a baby?" He huffed out a laugh and gently placed his hands over stomach. Almost immediately, he felt a kick. "Oh my God," he breathed. Cassie then put her hands on his and helped him stand up. 

Still holding his hand, she led him through the house, until they went into the living room. The blinds in the bright living room were wide open. Out of pure instinct, Ben rushed over to them as he said, "You know not to keep these open, the infected...."

He trailed off when he saw the blue sky and bright sun shine down on children playing outside, cars driving by, people watering their grass. It was like the world never ended. When he turned around to ask what was going on, he saw Cassie was no longer pregnant...and holding the most beautiful child he's ever seen. 

"We went away," she told him, as she walked up with--what looked like--their one year old daughter in her arms. "Things...got better. A lot better. So much so that we decided to start our own family." Ben smiled when their daughter giggled as Cassie tickled her stomach. 

He timidly held his arms out and asked, "C-Can I?" Cassie put their child in his hands and he took her, then held her close to his chest. He kissed her head, then rested his chin gently on her baby soft head. 

He closed his eyes and swayed them a little, then opened them up and looked down at her...only she now looked like she was five years old. "Hi, daddy," she sweetly said. He smiled down at her with tears in his eyes and said, "Hi, baby girl."

She snuggled closer to him and he held on to her as tight as he could. When he looked over at Cassie, he asked, "Are we dead?" She smirked and put her hand on his cheek. "Of course not," she told him. "But you need to wake up now. They're coming."

He gave her a double take, then looked down at his daughter. "I...I don't want to leave," he said. "Everything is so much better here. I have you, I have our gorgeous baby. Let's just stay here. Forever." 

She shook her head at him and said, "No, Ben. You need to go. They're coming. They're coming. They're coming!" 

**

"They're coming! Ben, wake up, they're coming!" Ben's eye's flew open and he suddenly started gasping for breath. He took a big inhale of something awful smelling and started coughing. Richard pulled him up from where he was laying and got him on his feet.