The Turned [Book #1 Turned Trilogy]

Untimely Death

            I shake my head back and forth, “I think they did something real bad that they have to fix. I think humans get scared and do stupid things, for lack of better word.”

            A tear rolls down her left cheek and she sniffs. “Right, but now we must die? We must die because we aren’t what they wanted? We are damaged goods; some failed experiment.” She cries softly and punches backwards onto the wall behind us. “They made us forget who we are and where we came from. I can’t even remember my age and or if my real name is Tia. I just know that I am stuck and completely lost. Physically and emotionally…I am lost.”

            “Me too, Tia…” I wipe a tear from her cheek and dab my finger dry onto my camouflage pant leg. I look over at Pete, lying on his back with his hands covering his face. I wonder if he feels the same. Hell, I know he feels the same. We were all meant to be super human’s with no recollection of a past life, only a future for war and killing. I may never know the truth and take this thought to my grave.

            I just hope they scatter my ashes into the Grand Canyon.

            Can they at least do that?

                                                            -------------~*~--------------

            “Ambush!”

            One of the chubbier soldiers throws his hands in the air laughing. I didn’t think this was a time to have fun…

            Pvt. Krimmel yells over the rumbling engine of the Humvees. The Kevlar helmet wears heavily down on my head and I push it up to swipe the sweat from my brows. A hand full of us soldiers cram in the back; bumping shoulders as we hit grooves in the road. Static voices echo through the CB radio. We are ordered to halt and take position.

            This is one of many missions to find those who are not infected. I hope and pray that I run into Lara. The last letter I had received she mentioned our hometown was becoming a ghost town. People were running for their lives, hoping to avoid getting this widespread disease. I wonder if my parents are okay…I have stopped worrying and just wished for the best. This will be the second mission I’ve been engaged with. These creatures, being called the Turned, are nasty-blood sucking beasts. What is sad is that they use to be a friend or someone we loved.

            “Diaz!” Krimmel hollers in my right ear over the roaring noises.

            “Krimmel, I’d like to keep some of my hearing, bastard!” I shake my head, smiling.

            “This could be our last mission, yah know?” He yells not only to me, but towards the rest of the crew.

            “Hooah,” I say nonchalantly.

            He shifts his body weight towards me again, “What do you think of this vampire bullshit? It’s like a real life horror flick.” Shaking his head back and forth, “I thought when I signed into the military; I’d be fighting the Middle East. Yah know? Fight the war our fathers fought proudly!”

            “Damn right!” I pat him on the back and we start to laugh when suddenly, the Humvee comes to a quick halt. Our body’s crash into one another and my Kevlar strap yanks hard, choking my throat. I cough and loosen it; gazing around at the wide eyed soldiers.

            The engine shuts off and I hear the driver choking. Bursting to the front of the Humvee, I watch as my fellow comrade holds his throat. It has two large holes protruded into his jugular vein. Blood squirts outward, onto the windshield.