Genesis : Knights of Salvation Series

When I open my eyes again the once light afternoon room is dark. The hustle and bustle I had heard before has died down into a quiet night. I have always enjoyed the nighttime, with no eyes, no ears, and no expectations. But tonight the darkness held a kind of fear in the air. Is it because we are outside the wall or is the darkness of the night always seen as a terribly few hours we all try to survive through?

I pull myself up, my loose bun has given way to my long locks falling messily over my shoulder as I sit up. I look over to see Clare in deep sleep her black book tucked in her arms. Her blonde hair is sprawled out around her. At the moment unlike during the day she slept like a log and looked like a complete mess. I smile to myself at the thought and stand up stretching out slightly. I pull off my top uniform shirt allowing the thinner material shirt to cover me. The uniform had grown so warm that the room’s night air sent a cold chill down my spine.

I brush my hair absentmindedly as I quietly make my way to the door flinching slightly when it creaks while it opens. When I finally get the door wide enough I sneak out of the room closing the door quietly. I look down the hall for any sign of the others and when I don’t hear anyone else I make my way down the stairs. I hadn’t eaten dinner and I can feel my stomach turning in on itself from the lack of food. When I get to the bottom of the stairs and don’t hear anyone I turn into the kitchen only to find Greta sitting at the end of the dining table, a glass cup in her hand and a bottle of gin in front of her. I stop suddenly about to go back to my room when she speaks up her eyes lift to me.

“I thought you would sneak down for some food.” She teases me. I give her my practiced smile and enter the kitchen. The kitchen is larger with countertops and a fire stove. She has a sink that’s old and rusty sitting in front of a large window.

“Yeah, I -um-fell asleep,” I reply a bit hesitant. She shrugs pointing her finger to a bowl sitting next to her. I nod and sit next to her in the corner. From this seat, I can see out of the kitchen and part of the stairs. I grab the spoon next to my bowl of what looks like chunky stew on rice. I have to say it smells amazing.

“Thank you, Greta, for the food.” I smile politely and dig in. To say the food was amazing is an understatement. The stew tastes like the kind that Harrison tends to make but with a more spicy feel to it, slightly burning my tongue with every bite.

“It’s really good, It’s spicy?” I say a bit surprised. Greta gives me a wide grin nodding along.

“Harrison made the stew and I thought a little kick would make it better.” She laughs. As I eat she stands heading over to a cupboard tucked into a countertop. She pulls out a second glass cup and sits back down. She pours some gin into both of the cup’s placing the new one in front of me. I’m already done with my food so I push the bowl to the side and grab the drink. I lift the cup giving her a grateful nod. We both sip the liquor the burning in my mouth intensifying as it slides down my throat.

“Ground zero, huh?” She speaks up and looks over at her giving her my full attention.

“So you know?” I say watching her eyes. Just like I had thought she nods.

“How much do you know then?” I ask her. I’m curious if she really put together what is happening or if she just has a small part of it.

“When you were a child, you had beautiful blue eyes. You had an aunt who was killed by that forsaken all those years ago. After that you, my child disappeared from what I would say is the world after.” She ponders swishing her cup half-mindedly. She called me child just as my uncle does so often, maybe it’s a habit they both grew up with.

“I would guess, that it’s possible a child was there and found herself at the bad end of one of those beasts. I would also guess if the child did not die or go wild immediately they would have become the first to survive the mutated virus. Making her the only person in the world with a possible cure.” She finishes and It felt like a ton of bricks left my shoulders, that finally someone other than the government knew of what I held in my blood. I give her a nod.

“I would also say the mutation has affected your very cells and genes, turning your eyes violet and also causing your body to become unstable.” She smiles sipping her drink.

“I may have beaten the mutated virus initially but I have been fighting to survive the mutations that are continuing to happen to my body. The medicine is no longer as effective as before. The only way to weaken the mutated virus in my body is apparently the original virus. They will cancel each other out, they will stabilize one another.” I fill in for her. She nods understanding the weight of this information. I sip my drink embracing the burning sensation.

“The two viruses will stable one another in your very blood, and you will be the incubator... the very machine to make the cure.” I nod to her. It’s more like she’s thinking out loud.

“The cure.” I fill in looking at my cup.

“That’s a lot of pressure to put on a young 18-year-old.” She says giving me an almost motherly smile. For the first time in years, someone understands. Everyone else who knows including Clare doesn’t seem to care that I am an actual person. They see me as a walking machine rather than a young adult. They’ve placed the whole of civilization on my shoulders without a thought of what will and has done to me.

“The world can be an unkind place.” I simply say welcoming her comfort.

“I would guess they are unaware of this?” She says popping the cork on the gin bottle and pouring herself some more.

“No, there not,” I say sipping my drink, both my hands wrapping around it as I place it back on the table.

“Why not?” She asks furrowing her brow.

“Clare fears they will see me more as a monster bitten by a forsaken rather than a cure. ” I say shrugging.

“I don’t believe they would, I think they would work harder to get to ground zero.” She states and I would agree with her.

“Maybe them putting their life on the line for me, a half mutant isn’t worth it,” I say kind of to myself.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” She sips her gin.

“If the primary virus isn’t there... the trip will be for nothing and I will be a walking bomb. I’m putting their lives at risk for a 5% chance of succeeding.” I whisper. I don’t like putting any of their lives at risk in any way but the chance of success is so low, it’s practically sacrificing them for nothing.

“They signed up to possibly sacrifice their lives for this exact reason.” She comforts.

“What a risky plan with no chance of working?” I retort.

“No, a chance of life outside the walls.” She says warmly. I look up then to see her eyes are already on me.

“I think you are the bravest person I have ever met.” She says placing a comforting hand on mine.

“Why is that?” I ask her.

“Because you are risking your life for everyone, knowing that this all will most likely end with you dead and no one will ever know it was you.” She speaks up.

That slow painful sadness pierces my heart again. I do know that. Even if we get the primary virus and place it in my body.. there’s no way of knowing it won’t just kill me. I’ll already be weak and my body will have to fight off the virus that killed most of the population. If I survive it as I did with the mutated virus I’ll be the cure or I’ll be dead. In hindsight no matter what, I’m going to die a gruesome and painful death. I’m fighting for a world I’ll never see.

I nod my head, “I’ve known for a long time that I’ll die because of this. Even before we formed a plan, It’s hard to hope and fight for a world you will never see.” I say quietly.

“Well, guess we’re in the same boat then.” She says smiling at me. We both finish our drinks, Greta tells me about the fun times she and my uncle had when they were younger and it felt nice not to worry even for an hour.