I held my breath for the first few steps up the dark sidewalk, then I realized, I shouldn't have done that. I needed to breathe so I'd smell them. Because when I did catch a whiff of the uninfected, I'd mutate. That was the goal.

Closing my eyes, I pushed out a ball of air. I was a few feet away from the brick warehouse when I caught the first scent. It wasn't strong; smelled more like food than people. So, I stopped and tried to figure out what it was.

I stared up at the red exterior, eyeing the broken, shattered windows. The smell came from one of them, or it pushed up from the small chimney stack releasing smoke. The sight of it had my brows high; had none of us in the q-zone noticed the warehouse was functional? Or had someone seen it and thought to ignore it, because why would we care? When I saw the customer in heels the other day, assuming she worked at a business-style establishment, I hadn't bothered to look into what was nearby. I accepted it as it was.

This warehouse, with the small, thin stream of smoke, and few windows brightened with lights was just that; it was what it was.

Sniffing at the air, I glanced around the foot of the building. "Bread," I said to myself, sliding my tongue over my teeth. "It smells like toast."

Was it the pack I helped Riley take the other day? Or had they found more? If the uninfected had taken refuge in a warehouse this size it had to be one of two things: 1) There were too many of them to stay outside the walls well hidden or 2) there were only a few within the group, but this was the closest and safest place they could be.

Within actually seeing them, I couldn't pinpoint which one it was.

"I need them to see me, though." I looked around the ground for something to throw. Mertz had parked the van at the start of the alley and turned off the engine. When I looked back at it, it blended so well with the environment; it was out of place, but dirty and dingey enough that no one would suspect anything. At nightfall, you couldn't see anyone inside either.

"Anything small." I slid my feet around the dead grass until my foot caught on something. A rock? Lifting my feet, I peered underneath the sole of my shoe and grinned. It was a rock; a decent size, too. I plucked it free from the leather and tossed it in my hand. "This'll work," I whispered, glancing back at the warehouse.

There was no way I could make this accidentally or a coincidence. There were birds, but I highly doubted they would pick up a rock and throw it at a building; it wasn't how they hunted. But if they did, that was a sight to see.

I needed someone to hear me and either glance out one of the broken windows or run out. And if they run out, maybe we could talk. Surely a man from the q-zone had to be terrifying. They knew where they were and they knew what we, the "infected," did in here if they got too close.

I just hoped it was more of a ask questions first and shirt after, not the other way around.

Sweet scent. Full and luscious.

Licking my lip, I leaned back and launched the rock forward at the top row of windows. For a second, it looked like I'd miss. But my old pitcher arm kicked in, paired with superior eyesight I never lost, I hit the second broken window. I hit the broken, cracked, exposed edge; a chunk snapped off and fell inside.

I stepped back and waited a minute. Someone should've heard it.

Yet, nothing. Silence. I growled and looked around for another rock. "This isn't going to work, is it?" I whispered. "I should just have Mertz honk a horn or—"

"Hey, did anyone hear that? Look at this!" a frantic voice came from inside the warehouse. Immediately, I looked up, hoping someone would look outside and see me. The voice sounded familiar, a woman, but it wasn't Riley.

I saw a hand holding the broken glass before I saw a face. Fiona. I couldn't help the goofy smile on my face because I was right. I found Riley's safety zone. A part of me wanted to wave, but that wouldn't be right. Her eyes widened with fear because I'd stepped over their invisible line of protection.

"Riley!" Fiona shouted, turning around. "Riley! Somebody get Riley!"

Yes, please, someone get her. She'd be the only person brave enough to get close.

There was a moment of running, and frantic talking. Then came the chorus of feet on stairs. An echo came from the open front doors.

The smell came right after.

Flesh. Sweet, salty flesh.

My mouth parted once the scent of an uninfected human filled my nose. I ran my tongue over my teeth and salivated once Riley came out the door, but stopped. She gripped the side of the doorway. "Axel," she hissed, "why are you here?"

I purposely inhaled deeply. If I was going to change, as far as she was from me, I needed to smell her as much as I could.

I swallowed the spit puddling on my tongue. "I, um, needed to see you." This wasn't a lie. I did need to see her.

A long, loud sigh left me as she slowly took one step closer.

Just a little more, baby.

"You can't be here," she whispered. "You're going to scare everyone."

Come closer. Closer.

"I just thought," I chewed on my bottom lip to suppress my growl, "that I could be the one to come to you this time instead of the other way around."

Riley rubbed her arms before glancing back at the warehouse. A small crowd hung in the doorway, watching, listening. This was good. There was more in the air; a lot more for me to smell. Was it wrong that a small part of me selfishly just wanted her scent?

"Okay." Pressing her lips into a thin line, Riley looked back at me. Her brows pinched with nervousness. I could hear her heartbeat from here.

She's scared. She's lovely. Take a bite.

"You're here, you saw me, and now what, Axel?"

I bite you. Chew. Rip. Tear.

"I just..." I couldn't tell her everything. There were others listening, too. Sure, the hope of a cure could excite everyone, but it was the fact that I needed her to put herself in danger, to come close enough for me to smell every part of her, her lotion, her perfume; that would terrify anyone. Cure or no cure. It was creepy.

I snorted through my nose as a jolt of electricity traveled up my spine. "I wanted to see you and tell you you're right." I nodded. "I know I'm infected. I found out... and I'm sorry you had to see how I found out. But I'm here because I want to help you."

This was as honest as I could be without giving away the real reason. Excited, quiet whispers from the group behind her. A young teenage girl pressed her head out and waved a hand. "Hey, Riri, ask him if there's meat he can bring us. Or cheese."

We had both and if they wanted, I could bring them.

If they please could come closer. The ache is here. It's building.

"We have everything," I shot the girl a weak smile, then looked back at Riley, "I can help."

The look on Riley's face softened. Her sweet smile took over, but she tried to hide it. She lowered her head, shook her curls, and moved one finger toward me. No. "It's okay, Axel," she said, raising her head. "It's dangerous if you bring it."

It'll be dangerous if others find you. Let me save you.

"Riley." I stepped forward and the essence of everyone nearby, including her, clogged my chest. The tightness made it hard to breathe. For a second, I couldn't think. I had to squeeze my eyes and shake my head to get myself in order.

I just needed to raise a hand and flip off the world, in a way that Mertz could see.

Feet moved back. I looked up to see Riley had widened the distance between us.

No. That wasn't what I needed.

"Riley," I extended my hand and took two steps forward, "baby, let me do what I need to do."

"Axel." She gulped and moved back again. "I need you to go back to your apartment, your job, and your end of town. We're safe here and we'll be okay."

"We're hungry!" the girl shouted.

I'm hungry, too.

"Shut it, Kris," Riley hissed. When she looked back at me, there were mixed emotions on her face. Was it sadness and need all at once? "Axel, I love you," she whispered, "but I need you to go."

"No." I moved closer. Pain shot up both sides of my neck. I rolled my head around my shoulders to try and get it to stop. "I'm going to help."

I'm really hungry, Riley.

My heart hammered in my chest. The tips of my fingers itched. I rolled my shoulders back and took another step forward. Again. Gasps hit the air as those inside the warehouse moved away.

No. Stay. Let me see you. Smell you. Come on...

"Let me help," I whispered, looking Riley in the eye.

She extended a hand, fingers spread. Good. I needed something, I needed more. Once the burn hit my lungs and I tasted copper, I knew it was time.

Raising my hand in the air, I used all that I had left to flip the bird and waved it.

Riley, confused, looked up at my hand before staring at me. "What are you doing?"

My teeth hurt. Trailing my tongue over my gums, it felt like the flesh would peel off. Opening my mouth wide, I cracked my jaw. The sound of my bones struggling, expanding, pushing together; it all echoed in my ears.

I felt detached.

All here. Meals and meals. Flesh after flesh.

My eyes snapped up and focused on Riley. Those behind her scooted back, panicked; many cover their mouths as they screamed.

Not Riley. She stayed. She was horrified but didn't move.

What does she taste like?

"Axel, baby," she whispered, tears rimming her eyes, "just go home."

I tilted my head to one side. A growl slipped out of me, but... it wasn't me. The desire to rush forward and pounce was strong. Keeping my hand in the air wasn't going to work.

Mertz needed to come with that van. They needed to get me. Or else I'd do something I'd regret.

I can eat her. She's delicious. Just come closer.

Covering her mouth, Riley moved back but stumbled. She fell on the concrete, hands pressing into the cracked lines on either side of her. The tears fell as I advanced, slowly stalking her like an animal would a pray. I felt the wetness and moisture spill from my mouth. It was blood, wasn't it? The look on Riley's face said it was.

Taste.

"Axel, please, if you still love me, I need you to go," she whispered.

Because I still loved her, I needed to be here. I needed to smell her.

My hand fell to my side.

Taste.

"Axel, please!" She crawled back on her hands. Her hair fell over her face. It was fucked up that everyone left her here with me. They knew she could die, but no one bothered to help her. Not the girl, not Fiona. Riley was fresh meat.

My meat.

TASTE!

An engine roared behind me. The van. I knew it sped up the street, cutting out of the alley to come toward us. It was a second too late. How long had I had my hand in the air? How long had I flipped them off? It was the signal. We'd agreed.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Riley pushed herself up to stand and rush.

But the second her foot pushed forward, I sped forward. I grabbed her. My teeth hovered over her neck as she fell back against me, whimpering as tears spilled down her face. And I inhaled her. I swallowed big, gulping breaths.

TASTE!

"Riley..." I snarled, flicking my tongue out on her earlobe. "Let me..."

"No, no, no." Riley reached back and clawed at my face. Her nails ripped at my skin. She screamed when she looked at her hands. There was no way I could bleed like that, right? That wasn't normal. None of this was.

"Let me..." Let me help you. Let me save you. Let me take a bite of what was once mine.

"Axel!" Gerry's voice cut through the air. Three sets of hands grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling me back. I stumbled into them, but I kept my eyes on her.

She's right there. Taste her. Just a taste. A small taste.

Opening my mouth wide, I thought to call her. I wanted her to listen to me and understand why I was changing, and why I voluntarily got this close.

A snarl and a hiss came out instead. Blood spilled. Hearing gone. Riley looked at me. Wide eyes. Fear. Anger. Hate.

"PULL HIM BACK! NO, DON'T TAKE OFF YOUR MASK. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"

Reach. Grab. Pull.

"Riley..." Come here. "Let me..."

"Open the doors. Get him in the van! Move, move!"

Fingers stretch. Blood pulses. Tug. Move. Drag.

"Riley..."

"What's happening to him? What are you guys doing to him? Who are you!" Moved a foot. Another. Riley's face cleared in front of me; I saw more than red. I saw her. Her beauty. Her heart. Memories of her devoted care flooded my mind and I wanted nothing more than to hold her.

"Axel." Despite the fear and tears in her eyes, Riley extended a hand to me. Her fingers stretched with hope.

I did the same. While her trembling hand was stained with my blood, mine looked like it'd fallen off. My skin had darkened; deep red and purple. My nails were white. Where Riley had scratched me was obvious. Disgusting.

I recoiled.

"In the van. Now!" One tug tossed me in the backseat with the two men I didn't know. A needle pressed into my neck. I hissed at the pressure pushing into my veins. The world spun.

"Get inside! Go! You didn't see anything!" Gerry's voice rang in the air.

Clenching my jaw, I gritted my teeth as I watched Gerry shout at Riley. She ran as he said. She disappeared up the stairs.

The edges of my vision blurred as Gerry turned and came to the van's opening. I saw his eyes through the mask as he observed me. "These five minutes aren't going to last." He looked to the right, toward the driver's seat. "We need to go and fast."

"Right." Mertz's voice sounded so far.

As I heard him, my heart slowed and I closed my eyes.

*

Word Count: 17400