All That Remains

09. Jaelynn

The sun had barely peeked over the horizon when Jae set out the next day to meet Elias.

A soft breeze danced along her skin, refreshingly cool. The sky was a kaleidoscope of pale pinks, yellows and light blues as she made her way down the now familiar route. Despite the ominous mission she was on, Jae found herself smiling for a moment at the stunning sight, enjoying the fresh air and the peaceful atmosphere.

Sticking to the open road, she kept her eyes peeled for any sign of movement, her hand never far from the dagger in her belt. Her thoughts were stuck on Elias' people and what they were up to. A shiver of revulsion crawled its way up her spine as she replayed the conversation with Elias in her mind.

The Risen don't scream.

How could he not have known that? Jae played with the idea that it was intentional. Maybe Lorenzo probably knew Elias wouldn't agree with what he was doing, so he kept Elias sheltered and clueless, never seeing the Risen up close. It was possible, although Jae didn't know Lorenzo well enough to know how likely it was.

She shrugged it off, not wanting to dwell on it too much. The reason for Elias' naivety was unimportant. The only thing that mattered now was putting an end to the man who was killing innocent people. These thoughts accompanied Jae all the way through the residential area and into the city centre.

She stopped outside a pharmacy that had been ransacked, and took a sip of water from the bottle in her bag, revelling in the cool morning air. The walk had gone quicker than expected with her mind occupied and she guessed it was about an hour until noon. She wasn't sure the exact time Elias would be at the building, but if she arrived early she could stock up on supplies before he got there.

Relaxing for a few minutes, Jae took another grateful slug of water, leaning against the cold brick of the pharmacy. It was only as she placed the lid back on her bottle and straightened up, that she noticed the lone figure coming towards her from the treeline she had walked through only the day before.

Jae's heart skipped a beat before hammering violently in her chest. She ducked into the pharmacy, stepping over broken glass as she desperately looked for a hiding place. Random pills, smashed make up and spilled nail polish covered the floor, the vibrant colours standing out against the stark white tiles.

The counter was tempting, but Jae knew she didn't have the time to cross the entire store without being seen. Instead she quickly stepped into the third aisle from the door, crouching down to the floor, a sheen of sweat covering every inch of her skin.

Through the metal slats of the shelf she was hiding behind, she had a disjointed view of the shattered window. Just outside, the figure stopped, snapping its head to the side and sniffing deeply.

The child was definitely dead.

Jae didn't need to get close enough to smell him. She could see it in the way he moved: robotic and stiff, each footstep calculated. She could tell by his eyes: cold, hard and devoid of any emotion. His eerie gaze searched his surroundings, looking for something.

Her.

Shivers ran up Jae's spine as terror wrapped its fingers around her heart. The kid was no older than eight, too young to be a ruthless killer, and yet that's exactly what he was. His eyes roamed over her hideout and she crouched down further, attempting to become one with the shelf in her desperate attempt to go unnoticed.

Jae was many things. Stubborn, rude, dangerous, a murderer. She had killed before but she knew that no matter what, she would never be able to bring herself to kill a child. Even if he was already dead. There are just some lines that one should never cross.