Chapter 2

It only took a couple of minutes for Thomas to find their escape route. Max looked over to find Thomas opening the window and climbing half way out.

"What the hell are you doing!" He half way screamed and whispered at the same time.

"Getting us out of here." Thomas reached and grabbed onto a ledge poking out above the window. "Don't worry, just don't look down, yeah?". With his full body out of the window he began to free climb from ledge to ledge.

Max watched this maniac climb out the window with his mouth agape. This guy has truly lost it to climb out where falling means breaking your legs and then getting eating by mutants, he thought to himself.

Knowing the mutants could spot him at any moment Thomas made haste to the top of the 5 story building. With out any choice max slowly climbed out of the window with his anxiety peeking, his palms sweating and legs weak. Still he had to try his best for his sister. Half way up the building max let out a yelp as his foot landed on a loose brick and knocked it out towards the street below.

The brick landed on a mutants head with a wet thud. That's when it looked up and saw max hanging from the side of the building with one arm. Thankfully he was close enough now that Thomas could grab his arm and pull him up to the roof.

Max was surprised by the strength of his new ally. He didn't have too much time to dwell on the thought because now that the mutants found there prey once again they began climbing up the building like feral animals.

Max was running while looking over his shoulder at the mutants arriving on the rooftop and before he knew it Thomas had grabbed his arm and pulled him off the ledge.

With a rough landing they were both up and running once again. Some of the mutants had the brains left to stop before the edge while others flew off with all their strength. The mutants landed hard all around them, some broke their necks and died instantly while others slowly started to get back up and lunge at them. Max was about to spit out his lungs he was so tired. He had been running for his life all day and was about to collapse. Thomas realized this and shouted "One more time!" as he pulled him along.

"Oh, come on!" Max replied dejectedly.

This time Max practically fell off the side of the roof and just barely caught the edge while Thomas landed safely, he spun around and grabbed max's arm and pulled him up before he could fall. One of the mutants managed to grab onto max's legs. It's Claws dug into his flesh deeply.

"Ahhhh! Shit!" Max roared as he felt the searing pain in his legs.

Thomas held him up with one arm and with the other he pulled out his sword and swiftly sliced the mutant by the elbows, the rest of its body falling to the ground.

Max gingerly pulled the mutants arms off his legs looking like he might pass out at any moment.

"That's definitely a mortal wound." Thomas thought to himself as he readied his sword. Most of the horde was unable to follow them to the rooftops save for the most agile ones.

"I still have to try and save him." His conscience wouldn't allow him to abandon max just yet.

As soon as the first one landed on their rooftop Thomas swept his sword left to right and amputated the mutants legs leaving it to fall to the ground. Two others mutants landed and lunged at him and max simultaneously.

Thomas first aimed for the one about to attack max and with the thrust of his sword stabbed it straight through the head. The second mutant that was lunging for Thomas latched onto his back. Thomas tried to fight it off but before he knew it the mutant reared its head and took a bite out of his neck.

Getting bitten by a mutant means becoming one in this new world. The mutants have sharper teeth compared to normal humans. Their teeth also have a special venom that they inject upon biting their prey. After being bitten it only takes a couple of minutes for the mutations to begin, lasting for a couple of hours.

With a sharp intake of breath Thomas quickly grabs the mutant with all his strength and tears it from his skin, leaving a chunk of flesh missing from his neck. The mutant lands a few feat away then bursts forward kicking up gravel and tries to attack again.

Fighting through the pain Thomas wrenches his sword buried in the dead mutants head and uses it to block the incoming attack. The mutant catches the sword with its mouth covered in Thomas fresh blood. It bites down on the sword and they begin to grapple. With all his might Thomas drops his sword and grabs its skull with both hands squeezing down until its skull explodes oozing black blood.

"Not again..." Thomas says while fighting the urge to pass out. Max is laying on the gravel a few feet away unconscious. Stumbling for a moment Thomas world is spinning, then he falls back and loses consciousness.

Hours later the sun is setting as the streets fill with the gargling sound of mutants. Some big and some small. The mutation one takes is different for each person. Some mutants gain new limbs, others get strengthened mutations making them more agile or physically stronger.

It was getting dark by the time Thomas regained consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes to be greeted by the sight of his tattered and blood covered clothes. He instinctively reached for the bite wound on his neck. "Another one to add to the collection." He says while revealing the many bite marks across his neck to his lower torso.

There were anywhere between five to ten bite marks including the newly added one on his neck still bleeding. Ever since the first time he was bitten he found out that he was somewhat immune to the mutations that happened to other people. Although it does still affect him mentally, he can feel pieces of himself disappear every time it happens.

He scanned the roof top for any signs of max but didn't see anything besides the spot of blood where he was before Thomas lost consciousness.

He hoped max made it to safety but knew better, he was in no condition to escape with his legs all torn up.

Thomas stood up with great effort and moved towards the edge of the building to check the state of the streets. Normally there are a lot more mutants out at night than in the daylight. His assumption was correct, there were at least three times as many wandering the streets right now.

He walked back over to pick up his backpack and pull out some gauze and alcohol to patch himself up and stop the bleeding. With a his he poured the alcohol on his neck and quickly wrapped the gauze around the bite mark. So far it has been rather easy for him to hide these bite marks but his new one is going to be difficult.

Exhausted from everything that happened today he opened the door that led into the building and found a room to get some rest. After barricading the entrance he made a makeshift bed and dozed off.

Burning, fire, hot. That's what Thomas woke up to, Although when he tried to open his eyes he couldn't see anything. He felt like he was going to burn to death it was so hot. His blood felt like it was boiling and his veins were on fire. He had never felt pain like this before.

After what felt like forever he was finally able to see something in the darkness. It looked like a small spark or flame dancing wildly. He tried to move, to reach out, but he couldn't even feel his body. Only the fire.

Thomas woke up in a puddle of his own sweat. his whole body was aching and sore. "What the hell kind of dream was that?" He thought to himself. When he stood up his body felt like it had gone through a meat grinder. Begrudgingly he packed up his things and climbed the stairs to the roof with much effort.

Usually he would travel across the rooftops as he found it to be one of the safest ways to travel these days. Although today, looking across the many rooftops in front of him, he didn't think he could get very far in his condition.

After thinking for a while he decided he would need to travel through the streets. As he was heading for the door there was an ear piercing screech. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere all at once. Thomas was down on his knees holding his hands to his ears when all of a sudden a huge bird like creature swooped down and used its giant talons to claw at Thomas back.

Large gashes were left across his back before he even had the chance to think. Using what little energy he had left and before the creature had another chance to attack, Thomas bolted for the door and just barely managed to close it as the creature crashed head first into the door causing it to bulge inward.

Few times had Thomas run into creatures like this. Having mutated far beyond the average mutant and gaining increased strength and agility. Usually the best way to survive such creatures was to avoid them completely, but if you were unlucky enough to draw its attention and become its prey the only way to survive is to kill it.