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“You’re alive.”

“No shit.” I couldn’t stop the dorky smile from taking over my face. “And youloveme.”

I had the pleasure of watching as pink tinted his cheeks. One of his large hand went to rub the back of his neck. “Not the most romantic way to confess your love for someone, but I suppose I’ll accept it just this once,” I teased.

At this, another smile graced his handsome features. “Are you planning on a lot of boys confessing their love to you?”

I shrugged. “You never know. I’m a very lovable person.”

His eyes suddenly turned serious, all previous traces of teasing gone.

“Addie,” he said, and I held my breath. “I love you. I’ve loved you for years. God, I just…I love the shit out of you, baby.”

I opened my mouth to say it back, I honestly did, but the words got stuck. It wasn’t because I didn’t feel them, but more so because the thought of laying myself out there, making myself vulnerable like that, terrified me. Calax had the ability to completely shatter my heart, and with it, the last of my humanity. I wouldn’t be able to survive another heartbreak.

“You don’t have to say anything right now,” Calax murmured, hand smoothing down my hair. “I don’t expect you to.”

“You have to understand that it’s not because I don’t feel the same way,” I whispered, ashamed of my cowardice. “It’s just...”

“Scary. I understand that.”

How was it possible that someone was able to make me feel the way he did? I felt so much love towards this man before me, so much affection. Ducky may have been my first friend, but Calax had always been my sun. The darkness would’ve consumed me long ago if it hadn’t been for him.

“Who the hell is that?” Calax said suddenly, glancing at something over my shoulder.

“Fallon probably,” I responded, but Calax was already shaking his head.

“It’s a group of people. I don’t recognize them.”

I finally looked over my shoulder at what Calax was seeing. It appeared to be a group of at least twenty people, all running in our direction. I couldn’t make out any individual faces, but the man in front appeared to have dreadlocks.

“We need to go!” Fallon shouted suddenly. He materialized behind Calax, frantic eyes scanning our surroundings.

“What’s going on?” Calax asked gruffly. Gone was the teary-eyed man that had kissed me with so much passion and love. This boy was much more familiar. A predator. I was grateful that my Calax was back. As much as I enjoyed the attention, I much preferred his assholeishness.

“The virus! Those things are coming!” Fallon gestured towards the mob growing nearer. Their movements were jerky, as if they weren’t quite used to walking. The only word appropriate to describe it would be a lurch. They were lurching towards us, propelling themselves off the balls of their feet.

“The Ragers,” I whispered, horrified.

“Ragers?” Calax questioned but seemed to decide we had more important issues than my choice of words. “Come on! Go! Go!”

We moved back up the hill at a brisk pace. After my wheelchair got stuck for the third time, Calax scooped me into his arms and began to run. The poor wheelchair was left behind.

Fallon began accelerating before the door of the sedan was even fully closed. I fell forward, wincing as my head hit the back of his seat. Calax grabbed my body and held me firmly against him.

“Faster,” he growled. Fallon didn’t respond, but the car jerked forward yet again as he pressed down on the gas.

The group had finally caught up with us. The car headlights, though dim, could clearly showcase each one of their disfigured faces. Red eyes. Black veins. Peeling skin.

I watched in horror as two Ragers began fighting each other. I didn’t know what set them off, but I couldn’t look away once they started. They clawed at each other’s faces and bit any bare skin available. Even when blood dripped from open wounds, they didn’t stop fighting.

The apparent leader, Dreadlocks, jumped onto the hood of the car. His feral eyes roamed over each of our faces before settling on mine. His lips pulled back to reveal blood-soaked teeth.

“Sarge,” Calax warned darkly. The mob was surrounding our car now. Their grotesque faces were smushed against the window as their hands grappled desperately with the door handles. Even through the steel barrier, I could still hear their cries.

“Come out!”

“Feed us!”