“I won’t.” Allison went into the large barn and kneeled down near a baby cow nestled in the hay. She stroked its soft, spotted fur, and it pressed its pink nose to her hand. She smiled.
“Allison,” a man’s voice called from the dark. She spun around to see Jerry in the same cowboy hat as earlier walking toward her from the back of the barn.
“I’m sorry if I scared you. We need to talk.” He reached behind his back, the outline of the gun on his hip visible as he moved. Allison’s body tensed, and she quickly jumped back.
“I will not hurt you. I’m just getting some papers.” He pulled the papers from his back pocket and extended them out toward her.
“You’re from the store this morning.” She took the papers.
“Yes. I don’t have long. But I needed to warn you. You are in danger here. Dr. Neff knows you’re here. He is coming for you.”
“What? How do you . . . ?” Allison stuttered as she unfolded the papers.
“I just know. He’ll have the Collectors here any day. You must leave.”
“Why? He just wants me to help him make a cure.”
“He didn’t tell you the total story. Read these papers if you don’t believe me. They are from Dr. Neff’s private office. One of our insiders managed to get a copy.” Allison looked at the tattered papers. A log of multiple failed experiments to find the cure. Hand-written notes on the sides totaling the number of patient deaths and donor deaths. A sheet with Allison’s name at the top, lab results, and a note at the bottom: “Ideal candidate for bone marrow donation for C. Death probable.”
“I am on your side. Dr. Neff wants to take all of your bone marrow to create a cure. That would kill you.”
“Maybe that’s my purpose. I die so thousands more can live.”
“No. There is no proof it would even work. Just dozens of innocent people who are now dead because they trusted him. He’s searching for a cure for his son, only for his son. Your life is just as valuable as his son’s. Dr. Neff is cruel.” Jerry pulled a picture from his shirt pocket and handed it to Allison. A naked woman strapped to a table, eyes open in a vacant stare, mouth ajar. Her skin was so thin the bones beneath seemed they would tear through. Red, open wounds covered her body. Patches of her hair were missing. Allison’s heart ached. She clutched her chest with a trembling hand.
“You can heal quickly, right? Have predator instincts? Maybe you’ve even noticed some other capabilities you didn’t have before you were infected with N87.” Jerry’s eyes bore into her. Allison nodded. “He needs former Infected like you. You have to go.”
“Are there more like me?” Allison’s chest tightened and her breathing quickened. Her palms were clammy, moistening the picture in her hand. Jerry nodded.
“I have to go. Please, just leave. It’s not safe for you here. If you don’t care about yourself, think about Sandra and Dave. They won’t let him take you without a fight. What will Dr. Neff do to them?”
Allison shuddered and her eyes rimmed with tears. She looked up from the photo just in time to see Jerry slip out the back barn door. Heart pounding, Allison ran to the house.
“Sandra! Dave!” She had to leave. She couldn’t let anything happen to them.
Allison was ready to leave with plenty of daylight left. Allison walked over to Dave and fell into his bear hug as Sandra stroked her hair.
“Thank you for everything you have done for me,” Allison said as she withdrew from Dave’s embrace.
“You are welcome here anytime. If at any point you decide you need to come back, or you just want to come back, we will be here waiting.” Dave kissed the top of Allison’s head.
“We will miss you so much, sweetie! So much! Please be safe!” Sandra engulfed Allison in a tight hug and motherly kisses.
“You be safe,” Allison said. “What will you do if the Collectors show up here like Jerry said?”
“We will handle it. Don’t worry about us. You have enough on your plate,” Dave said.
“As soon as I find a way to let you know I’m okay, I will.” Allison said as she slipped from Sandra’s arms and opened the truck door.
Sandra wiped tears from her eyes as Allison climbed into the truck. Allison started the engine as she watched Dave gently put his arm around Sandra’s shoulders, pulling her close as the tears fell. Allison rolled down the window.
“I love you. Both of you. I’ll never forget you,” Allison said with tears rimming her eyes. Sandra’s light cries turned to sobs.
“We love you too,” Dave said as he squeezed Sandra tighter.
Allison drove off down the lengthy gravel drive with the image of Dave frowning, Sandra crying, but both waving goodbye in her rear view mirror.
Once she hit the paved road, she pulled out the crumpled piece of paper with the directions to the farm and laid it on the seat next to her. The farm was only about an hour away, and that thought sent Allison into a shudder. At any given moment I could be near someone whose life I destroyed, and I wouldn’t even know it. Thankfully, there were no checkpoints between Sandra and Dave’s and the farm, so Allison would not have to speak to any Collectors. She knew it would happen eventually but would like to avoid it as much as possible.
The drive was peaceful despite her pounding heart. She saw only one other vehicle on the road; a dark green truck was behind her for a bit right after leaving Sandra and Dave’s. It turned off the main road shortly after it appeared, and she had been the lone vehicle on this stretch ever since.
The two-lane road was lined with tall trees full of fresh leaves. Allison rolled down her window and relished the smell of fresh foliage
