Chapter 7

"Do you even know what caused that tear to appear in the first place? Or did you just force her into obedience through brainwashing and memory manipulation and make her look at things her mind can't comprehend so she could be confused? Tell me." Adam demanded fiercely.

"You fail to understand, that wasn't our doing. Ren is already infected with the virus. Don't blame it all on me just because the world ended." The second mutant scoffed disdainfully at them and laughed with scorn. "Not only that, all of you are infected!"

"Stop lying, please stop lying! We're fine; don't try to trick us with lies; tell us the truth." Connor pleaded in vain, desperately trying to keep himself calm yet knowing it wouldn't be long until he lost himself again.

"No, it's already done," the leader hissed out. "She will turn, then you and the rest will too, eventually."

Ren began trembling once more in shock and terror. Her fear showed in every fiber of her being, and soon everyone else's. As for Adam, however, he was paralyzed in disbelief and agony.

"Impossible!" He exclaimed loudly. "Ren isn't turning! She can't. It can't be!"

"IT IS TRUE!" One of the two screamed back, rage and grief apparent on their faces as they cried, tears streaming from their bloodshot eyes.

"The fucking virus has infected everyone in this world!" One cried. "THIS WORLD! ALL OF IT! EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD!"

Adam sobbed pitifully, falling to his knees at Ren's feet. He would have sunk further, but a slender, bony hand held him back and pulled him towards her. Ren took his hands, pressing her lips lightly on top of them before moving them away from him. She knelt in front of him.

"Don't let these terrible creatures steal your will, Adam. They're only trying to torment you."

"BUT SHE'S ALREADY GONE. OUR LIVES HAVE ENDED, FOR GOOD," Adam blubbered.

Adamo stared down the mutants, his eyes filled with bloodlust. His muscles tensed as he prepared to run into a fight and attack.

"And so will yours. All of you." The creature snarled viciously. "But don't despair, humans. Death is always near and easy enough to be done in one simple step. Just like you, you can die by stabbing the heart, or any other organ."

Ren looked at them with disgust. She then shifted her gaze towards the ground, staring blankly at her reflection, lost in her thoughts, when the girl heard a voice speak to her.

"Fighting is futile, Ren," A voice said inside her head, attempting to drag her down into the shadows.

Ren started to resist, but her body refused to move a muscle, as if frozen stiff and weighed down.

Adamo shifted his gaze over to Ren, noting her horrified expression and pale skin. "It's over." She muttered weakly. Then her knees collapsed onto the dirt, and the last remnants of hope shattered. She dropped dead to the ground and lay still in the dirt.

A single word left her lips, almost inaudible, and a mere whisper:

"... why?"

"Get ahold of yourself, Ren. Fight! Don't lose consciousness," Adam commanded himself.

He took in a deep, shaky breath and opened his eyes wide, trying his best to get rid of the fatigue creeping into him, which made him feel a little more lightheaded each second that passed.

"Adamo. Take a minute. Everyone. Take a breather. We have to get ready and continue on our path." Connor glanced toward him and waited.

His entire body ached as though a large weight were pressed down on it, causing him great pain, and even worse was the feeling that he could no longer use it without constant effort due to the fact that he felt drained of energy already. He felt the need to cry in agony. Instead, though, he began to weep silently, trying to control the urge as well. But Adamo decided it was not the right time and place for tears yet.

One of the mutants lunged at Ren, but Ayoub was able to block it by letting his arm get scraped by their claws. The claw scrapes barely pierced his flesh, causing very little pain. Still, some of the dark, viscous liquid that oozed from the cuts burned. He couldn't even notice it now—the aching in his shoulders—nor could he feel his knees shaking, so numb with shock.

All Ayoub knew was that he wasn't strong enough and that his group would most definitely lose this fight if they kept wasting precious moments. He used the heel of his boot and crushed the hand of the closest one.

Then Connor did the same, sending one of the beasts flying away in one swift and precise kick while at the same time grabbing hold of Ayoub, making him drop Ren's bag that she was carrying earlier. Then Adam grabbed Ren's hand, pulling her back into the bus, which they locked immediately afterwards. He hugged her protectively and checked whether she had any open wounds before carefully leading her back into his embrace.

"Adam..." She spoke gently, looking up into his hazel-colored orbs. "What are you going to do about this situation? Wouldn't it be a mistake to not do something? After all, isn't everyone in grave danger right now because of those creatures lurking around in broad daylight?

Adam looked down at the floorboard and shook his head gently.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Is there something wrong with you?"

Ren continued speaking and staring at him. Adam ignored her and just stared back intently without any reply.

"Why aren't you talking? Did something happen to you? Talk to me, Adam." She inquired urgently.

Adam gave her a quick, tender, and reassuring hug, then turned towards her, took her delicate chin into his hand, and touched her hair softly. "Don't worry about it."

Ren frowned and narrowed her eyes slightly. He started looking around the room nervously, scratching the side of his head while appearing uncomfortable in this conversation with Ren.

"Is something wrong, Adam? Are there no answers to my questions?" Ren asked. She asked again, feeling impatient with his silence and obvious unease.

"Ren, you almost died back there; you zoned out." Adamo snapped at her. "Ayoub got fucking scraped by one of them, and now it runs the risk of him getting infected."

He sighed after saying that and massaged the bridge of his nose for the umpteenth time today as he sat down heavily on the bus floor. He leaned back on his elbows against one of the seats behind him, crossing his legs at the ankles and resting his head on one hand.

"We don't have a fucking clue. All of us are lost and just trying to survive; we might not make it." He finally answered Ren. "So please don't ask about the situation. I really wish everything were alright, but it's not. I can assure you of that. That's the hard truth."

"Thanks for stating the obvious, Adam." Connor said sarcastically.

Ren sighed deeply as her body went limp on the bed, a single tear running down her face as her eyes became blank and unfocused.

"That's the kind of answer you give to those who only want comfort and reassurance and don't expect honest words from others in return." Ayoub snorts bitterly at Adamo. "This doesn't seem to satisfy my needs, though. If that's true, why would anyone even bother speaking at all then? We'd better be left alone from now on until something good happens. It doesn't matter."

Then the banging on the school bus door resumed again and the sound echoed throughout the bus, sounding more urgent, desperate, and frantic this time. There was a faint tapping noise from the far back, followed by what seemed like footsteps that kept growing fainter until there was complete silence.

"What should we do, Adam? What can we even do?" Ren said in a defeated tone.

The air in the bus reeked of desperation as all five inhabitants stayed quiet. Their brains were clearly spinning around, desperately trying to come up with an answer—anything that could work—anything at all would help.