Cellar Sheep

Chapter 11

It only took three days for everyone to be ready, and in my opinion, three days too short. I wasn't looking forward to climbing up those stairs that had left me with such a bad memory last time.

And during those three days, I was practically treated as a prisoner, being kept in quarantine for most of the time. I never got to see the others, not even Yale who kept pestering the military to see me and I hated it.

Luckily, and with the generosity of the spider infectee, I was able to keep that voice and itch at bay with another arm from a person. I started calling her Arachna, a spin-off of arachnid, and I guess she liked it because we were on pretty decent terms. And by that, I mean sitting in opposite corners and being silent for hours.

Another good thing was that since everyone knew I was infected I got to say goodbye to clothes that made me sweat and hello to shorts and tank tops.

Every once in a while a military person would come to check on me. I thought Arachna would try to attack them but she just stayed in her corner knowing she'd get her next meal some time. It was kinda messed up how since they couldn't kill her they'd just feed her dead humans to keep her at bay.

I didn't complain, not one bit.

But I was surprised to find that the very last night before we left on that mission to see Thomas coming down the stairs. He was looking great minus the gauze patch on his eye.

I watched as he descended the staircase.

"Don't tell me you're infected too," I said and that earned a chuckle. He was about to reply but I noticed he was about to step off the last step. "Don't." That stopped him, cocking his head confused. "Just... stay on the steps unless you want to end up like them."

I gestured to the pile of dried bodies in a corner. He swallowed hard.

"Did you..."

"No, but she did," I said, nodding at Arachna who was watching him carefully, hidden away. "So stay on the steps."

He took a step back and sat down. There was silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say.

"I heard your story, the one you told about coming down from the floors, and I know it's all bullshit." He said. "You weren't alone, were you?"

I twisted the ring on my finger, biting the inside of my cheek.

"No... I wasn't." I took a deep breath. "But he's gone now so it doesn't matter."

Thomas messed with the bandages on his hand. 

"Did you kill him?" The air stilled. I shrunk, pulling my knees closer to my chest.

"I'm already being forced against my will to this so if you've come down here to threaten me I suggest you leave," I said coldly, and for some reason that made him smirk.

"I didn't come down here to threaten you." He said. "I came down here to ask if you thought we had a chance."

"Why would you want my opinion on that?"

"Because even if you don't think it, you're leading this mission." He said, glancing up at me. He looked tired, and not the kind you could sleep away. "We're betting all our lives, even the ones down in the cellar, on you. That you can get us to our goal."

For a brief moment, we locked eyes, neither of us able to read the other's emotion. I didn't know if he had some kind of motive. Hell, they might just use me for this mission then kill me after.

But Yale... My teachers... Amari and the twins...

Kenny...

"His name was Kenny," I said, Thomas listening. "And I only knew him for a day but he saved my life. He knew what I was and what I would become yet he still saved me. Why? I don't know and I'll probably never know but I do know that I was going to pay him back."

I remembered the first step we took out the door, how we thought the coast was clear. Then that caving feeling in my chest, gunshots which did nothing but bring more, screaming his name before being slammed aside like I was nothing more than an annoying gnat.

"Go. Live."

"I made a promise to him and I'm not going to break it," I said. "But I'll never get that chance to pay him back. So if you want my opinion I think it better fucking work or else he died for nothing."

A smile spread across his face. Not from amusement, but from reassurance.

"Good." He said. "That's what I needed to hear." He stood up, dusting himself off. "No hard feelings if I have to kill you tomorrow, right?"

"None at all," I said, resting my head down on my knees. "Don't let me hurt anyone."

"Then don't give in." That was all he said before he left, his footsteps fading before the door shut and I was left to be alone again.

"You'll break that promise if you don't let me in." It told me. "Let me help you."

"Shut up," I mumbled closing my eyes.

But, maybe I should've started to listen to it because everything it told me was only for the best. 

It was like that voice that told me to run when the power went out and I was faced with the scorpion infectee for the first time.

It was my will to live speaking to me and all it wanted was to survive.

And so did I.