20 Chapter 20: Hardships

Sweat pitter pattered to the floor from the face of Layla. The echoing of the gunshot faded into the distance. A bullet had impaled the forehead of the naked Nick to her right. Layla's heart thumped hoping she had gotten the right one. A part of her didn't care as to her, only Zane's and her own life mattered at the moment. A silence crept up into the room plaguing them with suspense. Finally, the Nick she chose to shoot fell to the ground with a loud thud. At first there was no blood and the body remained the same, almost tricking Layla that she had gotten the wrong one, but slowly the skin began to melt away. A four foot white bodied Apocrypha revealed itself lifelessly on the ground as purple blood spewed from it's head.

Layla and Nick both took a breath of relief. Nick especially was glad to still have life in his body instead of a bullet. Slowly, Zane began to groan as he arose from the floor freed from his hypnosis. He shook his shaggy head of hair and placed his palm on his face trying to comfort a slight headache he felt.

Layla rushed over to him making sure he was okay. She grasped his face with her hands and gave him her usual intense stare.

"Are you okay you idiot?"

Zane grinned playfully, "Pfft! Of course! I was just pretending to be caught in a trance to catch the Apocrypha off guard!"

Layla and Nick laughed easing the tension they felt. They were glad they all made it out alive.

"Next time, we both go... We work better together" declared Layla as she smiled down on him.

Zane didn't argue as it was true. They had helped one another through many dangerous encounters so far and made it out alive. It was only possible because they were together. Zane slowly got himself up as he stared at the lifeless body of the Apocrypha beside him. A slightly pained feeling developed in his chest almost as if he felt sorry for it.

"What is it bro? I'm glad that things dead. That was some scary shit" sighed Nick.

"Yeah... It's weird, but for some reason I felt sorry for it. It was obviously just a kid. As much as it seemed like it really wanted to kill us, I feel like it just wanted to play..."

Layla smacked Zane in his head trying to knock some sense into him, "You're way too soft I swear..."

Zane laughed awkwardly as he rubbed his head in pain, "Sorry"

Nick then jumped up as he realized something. Layla and Zane turned their head to him in surprise.

"Noah!" he shouted.

They had all forgotten about Noah due to the tension that had developed. Quickly, they all got themselves through the door and rushed towards where the Apocrypha had left him. They dashed through the passageway until they finally saw Noah slumped against a door groaning in pain.

"Noah!" shouted Nick as he went to check on him.

They were happy to see that he was okay... or so they thought. Cutting short their celebration, they saw something horrible. Noah's entire right arm seemed inflated like a giant human balloon. They jumped back in horror almost stumbling over themselves.

"What the hell? Noah! What's wrong with you man?" panicked Nick.

"I-I... Injected... Ugh-" Noah tried to respond but he was in too much agony to formulate a proper sentence.

Layla quickly moved Nick aside and began inspecting Noah's body. His breathing was very irregular and he was roasting with a fever. Layla clenched her teeth in worry as she realized something was definitely wrong with him.

"Do any of you know what happened to him?"

Zane's memories then shot through his cranium like a bullet. He remembered when he had first ran away to check on Noah, he had this strange purple hole on his right arm like he had been injected.

"I think we should take him to Almarie! That's our best option right now... She's a doctor." implied Zane dimly as if he didn't have much hope.

"The three of us will carry him together... Just stay away from his right arm Nick..." instructed Layla.

"Why? What's wrong with him bro?!" boomed Nick in worry.

Zane and Layla let silence do the talking. Nick suspected they had an idea with what was wrong with his friend, but they weren't telling him for some reason. He decided not to argue and grabbed onto one of Noah's legs. Zane took the other and Layla took his head. Noah was extremely heavy as the three of them together struggled to carry him. It felt like they were trying to carry a baby elephant while walking through thick mud. After a minute of constant groaning and struggling they arrived at the room where the others were hiding. Layla slammed her foot in the door signaling them to open it up.

The door quickly flung open as Serenity and Almarie's eyes widened in horror.

"Dad!" cried Serenity as they placed him on one of the beds.

"What happened to my Dad!?" screamed Serenity in panic.

"Serenity, please calm down! Your Dad got hurt but Almarie's going to help him!" comforted Nick as he grabbed her hand.

Almarie quickly moved over to the sickened body of Noah wondering what had happened.

"What happened?" she inquired quickly.

Zane averted his eyes and spoke in a very dim-tone, "His right hand..."

Almarie swung her eyes towards the right arm of Noah. A look of horror washed her face. She instantly knew what had happened.

"Oh my... No! This is terrible..." whispered Almarie trying not to let Serenity hear her.

"Does that mean it's what we think it is?" asked Layla dimly.

Almarie shook her head showing there was no hope for him, "Yes Layla... This is the Apocravirus... There's nothing I can do for him..."

"You have to at least try! You can't just let him-" Zane paused and glanced over to Serenity whose eye's were filled with tears.

"You can't just leave him to die..." he softened his voice.

"Zane listen to me... I am only one person... We never even found a cure for the first strain of the damned virus! Now this is a fricking second strain which seems to have a 100% mortality rate! I have limited equipment with limited knowledge! There's nothing I can do... I'm sorry!"

Zane sat himself down on the opposite bed and buried his face into his hands. This was a very big issue. Not only would they have to take Serenity under their direct care but they couldn't even give Noah a proper burial. In 24hrs his body would explode like a grenade sending out viral particles in the air. Everyone else would die if that were to happen. They would have to venture out and carry Noah somewhere else to die by himself. It was a sickening thought.

"Can't Almarie fix him?!" yelled Nick as he realized they had stopped trying.

No one answered. The only sound that could be heard was the constant weeping of Serenity.

"At least tell me what's wrong with him man... Don't leave us in the dark like this if you know what's happening..."

Layla took a deep breath and folded her arms. She stood herself straight up and turned to face Serenity and Nick.

"I'm going to tell you and I'm not going to sugar coat it. Serenity... Nick... Noah is going to die."

"No! My dad isn't going to die Layla! Why are you lying to me?! I thought you were a good person!"

Nick grabbed onto Serenity and held her closely in his arms trying to comfort her. She bawled like someone was trying to murder her as she desperately wanted her father to stay alive.

"Why is he going to die?" interrogated Nick.

"It's the Apocravirus. We didn't completely explain it to you earlier but the new strain has a 100% mortality rate. You get infected if lethal Apocrypha DNA enters your body whether it's from a bite, cut or saliva. Once that person gets infected, the virus reproduces in their bodies at a rapid rate resulting in extreme swelling. After 24hrs have passed, they explode releasing deadly particles into the air killing anyone who inhales them instantly." explained Almarie in a sorry-tone.

Nick looked down to the floor with his face full of sorrow. If there really was no way to save Noah then they would just have to leave him to die. It was worse that they couldn't even stay by his side while he died. They had three options;

They could abandon the house leaving Noah to die by himself.

They could take him somewhere far away to die.

They could kill him before the virus got any worse.

"No Nick please! I lost Mom already... I-I can't lose Dad too... We have to help him! I'm begging you!"

Nick's face was made up almost as if he wanted to cry. What could he do? He wasn't some super physician that could cure any disease. He was just a regular human being. He couldn't bare to stare Serenity in her eyes. It was just too much for him.

"Se-Serenity" called a feeble voice.

Everyone looked up in shock to see Noah struggling to speak. He was holding his hand out to Serenity as if calling her to him. Serenity quickly got herself up and ran to his side.

"Noah!" exclaimed Nick.

"Dad! You're going to be okay! You're goin-"

Serenity was stopped in her sentence as she saw her father smile upon her. It was a proud and heartbreaking smile. He slowly pushed his hand up towards her face and patted her gently.

"What a daughter I've grown... I don't deserve such a great daughter like you."

"Dad! Please stop talking like that! You'll see me grow and you know you will! So please don't say such ridiculous things Dad..."

"Serenity... listen to me honey... You're a smart girl and you know that the way I am I'm not gonna ma-" Noah's statement was interrupted by him coughing up a bit of blood. His teeth reddened with its color.

"Dad! No! Please... You can't!"

"Serenity... Even if I wasn't aware that I was infected by the Apocravirus I would still know I'm dying... My body- My body doesn't feel normal at all. It feels hot and itchy inside."

"Dad... No..."

"Serenity I'm sorry baby... I don't want you to be burdened with such pain. I know it hurts honey... I know you'll miss me, because I'll miss you too. So please use that brain of yours Serenity. You know I'm a goner and I know it's not easy to accept but please don't cry. My final wish to you is to be strong and do not waver like that bright shining star you are. Can you do that for me?"

Serenity bit down on her lip trying to fight back her tears. The pain in her chest stung her like needles but she forced a smile on her face for her dads sake.

"I will father..."

Noah then forced himself upwards on the bed groaning in pain.

"Noah!" called Nick and Almarie as they rushed over to help him.

His entire right side of his body was now swollen. The virus was spreading through him at a blinding rate. He coughed up more blood staining his clothes as Almarie and Nick helped him sit up on the bed. He breathed as if there was a lack of oxygen in the air around them. He carefully looked up at them and forced a smile on his face.

"Ahh! Haha... You know I don't deserve such kind treatment from you all... I've never really been such a good person. I even tried to rob you all earlier..."

"It's understandable Noah... Don't force yourself to speak. You eventually let us in and thanks to you we're safe. If we hadn't come here in the first place then this probably wouldn't have happened." cried Zane.

Noah took a deep breath as if he was about to say something intense.

"Well if you want to make it up to me, can one of you do me two favors?"

"If it's taking care of Serenity then you've got our word on that" replied Layla sympathetically.

"Thanks... that's good to hear, but I have one more favor. This pain really hurts... honestly the most pain I've felt in my entire life. So please I'm asking any of you to put me out of my misery..."

The room went silent for a moment. Serenity looked her dad in his eyes with sorrow wrenching her heart from her chest. She hurried and gave him one last hug while tears fell from her face. Noah calmly pat her head smiling. Serenity didn't want to let go because she knew this was the last time she would be in her father's arms. She knew this was the last time she would feel his gentle pat on her head. Slowly she released him crying.

"Serenity, you don't need to see this so please wait on the outside alongside Almarie until we're done."

"Yes father! I will! Thank you for giving me life! Thank you for loving me as your daughter! Thank you for being my father! Thank you for everything d-ad! I love you!"

"I love you too honey. Grow beautiful and strong for me. Goodbye Serenity..."

A tear fell from Noah's eye as he wished his daughter one last goodbye. Almarie did the same and walked out through the door alongside her. Noah took a deep breath trying to calm himself.

"Sorry I have to ask you guys for such a favor... It must be hard on you too..." he whimpered.

"No... It's fine man! I'll protect Serenity with my life! I swear it bro! Layla pass me a gun..." cried Nick as his tear ducts gave out.

"No... I can't do that Nick. You don't deserve to have to take the life of your close friend. I'll do it" muttered Layla.

Zane then stepped in and took the gun from her instead, "No Layla, I'm really the only one for this job. You seeing this must remind you of your father too. I can't have you stepping in your own wound. Let me take on this burden. Besides, I've killed before remember? Back on the yacht? I'm best suited for this..."

Layla nor Nick didn't argue. They hated to give Zane such an extra burden to carry but he really was the only one suited for such a task. They reluctantly stepped back and allowed Zane to get ready.

"Nick, it's best for you to step out for now. Not just because we don't want you to see this but because we're unsure if the virus will still escape his body." grimly stated Zane.

Nick nodded in acceptance and slowly stepped out into the passageway alongside Almarie and Serenity. Layla stayed behind watching feeling extremely upset. Everyone else felt sad and sorrow but Layla felt a boiling rage. She hated how the Apocrypha were destroying everything. She just wanted to kill them all no matter what she had to do.

Zane stood in front of Noah with his gun held out. He slowly looked Noah in the eyes as his heart beat increased due to sorrow.

"I'm sorry Noah..."

Noah smiled painfully, "Don't be Zane, if anything I'm thankful"

Noah closed his eyes as he heard Zane remove the safety from the gun. He began to think about his life and how it had been through all his years. It wasn't a perfect life but he appreciated the good people he met along the way. His mind drifted to a peaceful place where he imagined him and his family playing around happily in a world without violence or fear. A smile drew itself across his face as Nathan squeezed the trigger. As the bullet directed it's way towards his forehead, he began to think to himself;

"I wonder what death will be like... Right now I've never felt more at peace in all my life. My only regret is that I have to leave my daughter in such a cruel world. Well, I know she'll be fine... she's the strongest and bravest girl I've ever seen. I'm going to join your mother now Serenity. Be safe and take care, because daddy will always love you."