Chapter 25 - Alex
Alex navigated the quieter streets of Louisville with old familiarity. His teen years were spent joy-riding with buddies after school and taking girlfriends to secret spots. During his adult years, the few times that he’d been granted a pass, he’d had more appreciation for the place of his birth. He’d explored its every nook and cranny, relishing in its combination of old-school charm, history, and progressive energy.
It wasn’t like that now. The streets were deserted, empty. Those who could had made their way to the Churchill Downs racetrack for evacuation and the dead had followed the trail of fresh meat like the predators they’d become. Those who couldn’t, or wouldn’t leave the city, were holed up inside their barricaded homes.
Dusk had fallen, painting the buildings in hues of gray and charcoal. No longer would the skyline light up with bright lights, ready to welcome the young and energetic. All that was gone now. Light, sound, and smell was the enemy for it drew the dead like moths to a flame. It had been threatening to rain all day, and now the first fat drops hit the windshield.
Alex left his home behind with a glimmer of regret. He’d miss the place, but there was no use in looking back. As the rain drummed onto the roof of the car, wrapping them in a cocoon of rhythmic sound, he glanced at Amy in the backseat. “What happened, Amy? After the Robinson’s?”
She glanced at him before looking down at her lap again. “I went to Louisville looking for medicine. I figured it was your only chance. Then I met Dylan, and you know the rest.”
“That was brave of you. You saved my life.”
She shook her head. “I’m not brave. I’m stupid. If it weren’t for me, Laura would still be alive.”
A pang of pain and regret shot through his heart at the mention of Laura, but there was no point in dwelling on it. If he did, it would drive him mad. “You can’t think like that, Amy. You made a mistake. It happens. You can’t win all the time. Learn from it.”
“That poor little girl,” Amy whispered. “I just wanted to help her. Instead, I killed her.”
“It’s not your fault, Sis. Believe me. I’m sorry you had to see that, but at least you kept your head on straight. If you hadn’t dragged my ass out of there, I’d be dead too.”
“I suppose,” Amy said with a sniff.
“You’re stronger than you know. You’re a fighter, and you’ll get over this in time. I promise,” Alex said.
Dylan twisted around in her seat. “It’s called ripping off the band-aid. Face what happened, admit your mistakes, try to learn from the experience, and honor Laura’s memory by becoming a better person.”
Amy stared at her. “I’ll try.”
“That’s pretty deep,” Alex said, eyeing his new traveling partner. To date, she remained a mystery, not revealing anything about herself.
Dylan snorted. “I’d better believe in my own advice, or I’d go nuts.”
“How so?”
“I tore out a man’s throat with my teeth this morning and drank his blood. After that, I set his friend on fire and watched him burn.”
Alex blinked, taken aback by her brutal honesty. “Good God, I can see how that would haunt a person.”
“Exactly.”
She glanced at him with those enigmatic blue-green eyes. They were an unusual shade, complimented perfectly by her dark red hair. He wondered what lurked behind them. A monster? Or simply a woman on the brink of succumbing to a viral infection. That remained to be seen.
He patted his pocket. At least, he had brought insurance with him in case she had another episode. Amy had spotted them. Horse tranquilizers. Those in the process of turning often displayed incredible strength and aggression, plus they still had their intelligence. That made them doubly dangerous, and he couldn’t take any chances with Amy in the car.
“Why don’t you two try and get some sleep? We’ll be there before you know it. About an hour,” Alex suggested. Ordinarily, he could make the drive in half the time, but it was raining, and he couldn’t see very far ahead in the murky darkness.
Dylan and Amy agreed, and within a few minutes, both were fast asleep. A peaceful silence descended on the vehicle, and Alex was able to relax at last. He glanced at the map on his lap and hoped Dylan was right about the cure. It would suck getting there, only to find out it was nothing more than a mirage.
***
They were about halfway to their destination when Dylan came awake with a start. She looked around her with a confused expression. “Who am I? Where am I?”
Alex stared at her for a second. “You don’t remember?”
She shook her head. “No.”
In the backseat, Amy woke up as well. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure,” Alex admitted.
“I’m hungry,” Dylan said. “In fact, I’m starving.”
“Will a protein bar do the trick?” Amy asked, rummaging in Dylan’s duffel bag.
“Sure.”
Amy handed her the bar, and Alex watched with fascination as she ripped into it like it was a hunk of meat. Within seconds it was gone. “More. I’m still hungry.”
Amy gave her another bar and a packet of potato chips which she promptly tore into.
“Man, you are hungry, huh?” Alex said.
Dylan didn’t even acknowledge him, and a frisson of fear worked its way down his spine. Something wasn’t right about her. Was she having an episode again? He remembered what she’d told them about her last one, and he decided he didn’t want to risk it. “Why don’t we stop and stretch our legs. I could use a quick break.”
“But, it’s raining,” Amy protested.
“It stopped awhile ago, Sis. Besides, I really think we should stop,” he said, throwing meaningful looks at the still eating Dylan.
Amy’s eyes widened as she caught his drift. “Okay, sure.”
He pulled over, and after a careful
