Out of Time

Elizabeth

Upon hearing this news Jackson stands and leaves the tent and heads to the SUV, when he does I follow him, "Jackson?"

"My mother spent her whole life healing, and she killed all these people."

"I'm so sorry."

We can hear thunder rolling off in the distances and Abe is speaking to a man in Swahili. "a relief worker spoke to a few of the victims before they passed. Your mother had been self-medicating for weeks, trying to reduce her symptoms. Finally, it got so bad that a few of her neighbors decided to take her to a safe zone in Massingir They thought the doctors there might be able to help."

Jackson turns to Abe, "Well, they sure as hell didn't help, did they?"

"I know how hard this must be, but we are one animal away from the cure. We need to stay focused."

Jackson shakes his head, "She's out there, I have to find her."

I step toward him, "Jackson, it's too dangerous."

"She's my mother."

"And what if you do find her? What then?" Jackson doesn't reply he just stands there silent. I know that I am not going to change his mind. "Then we'll go with you."

"No, no." Jackson shakes his head.

Abe sighs and tells Jackson a saying in Swahili, "We take care of those we care about." He translates. Jackson nods as he grabs the things we'll need out of the truck. Soon we begin our hike through the African bush and end up in grass that's taller than Abe.

"She can't have gone far," Abe comments before kneeling down, "I've lost her trail."

Before we continue I hear a distorted bellowing and growling, it sounds like the animal making the noise is right next to me, "Ahh!"

"Can you hear that too?" Jackson turns to me and I nod.

"Hear what?" Abe asks.

Jackson sighs, "Sometimes it comes and goes, but I hear things that are far away up close."

"The mutation?"

"If it's the mutation then why is Katherine hearing the same thing?"

"It's a distress call. A lion." I comment as the noise dies down.

Jackson nods, "There must be a predator nearby."

"And since animals are no longer preying on each other, that must mean a new apex predator." I turn to Jackson.

"My mother." We continue walking, following the distress call until we come to a very small clearing next to the woods. When we do I sit on one of the rocks. Jackson comes over to me. "Are you okay?"

I nod and take a deep breath, "Yeah, I just need a..." I glance over and see a dead male lion, just a few steps into the woods. The sight makes me sick to my stomach and I turn, getting sick on the other side of the rock.

"He must have been calling for his pride." I hear Abe comment as I turn back.

The howling and growling sounds begin again, but this time they are close enough for Abe to hear them as well. The three of us look around and see the tall grass moving. At this point, Jackson is on the other side of the trail, about five feet away from me. "Jackson!"

"Kat!"

Before Jackson can rush over to me, a pride of about five or six lions runs between us. Not even stopping for a second glance. I look up to Jackson, confused. But before any of us can move something else comes running out of the grass. It is a woman that looks much like Kovacs. She stops between Abe, myself, and Jackson. Abe moves in front of me. "Mom. mom!" Jackson calls out to her. It wasn't until now that I realize the woman in front of us is Elizabeth.