Ryder

I hadn't seen Desiree since the other night when I had kissed her. I'd been to her door several times, waiting for her to answer but she never did. My heart sank as I looked down at the black dress shoes I was wearing now.

I knew she would have to come down soon, her match was tonight. I glanced over at the red doors next to me, watching as men and women filed inside. Leaning back onto the wall, my eyes searched for Desiree.

Nerves swept through me when I saw a head of blonde hair begin to weave through the crowd, making its way toward me. Desiree emerged from the sea of people in front of me, her bare legs long under the hem of her shorts. Her hair was pulled tightly away from her face, her eyes glowing with a fierce intensity. She was holding someone's hand.

My eyes traveled down beside her landing on a little girl with black hair, braided down the middle. Her innocent eyes were wide as she took in the amount of people in the lobby.

“Is there gonna be a show Desi?” I heard the little girl ask as Desiree led her towards me, avoiding my gaze.

“Not a very good one,” Desiree replied, stopping in front of me and bringing her eyes hesitantly to look into mine.

The stitches on her cheek were healing, but still flaming red around the edges, twine still poking out through the skin. A bruise now appeared, circling her eye, her lids a dark purple tinged with a healing yellow in the corner.

“Ryder,” Desiree said, breaking the silence between us. “I need your help.”

“Of course,” I told her. “Anything.” I glanced down to the little girl still holding her hand.

“This is Aundrea.” Her voice was barely a whisper making my heart ache for her.

“Oh no.” Remnants of our conversations poured into my brain, wracking my thoughts. This was the little girl that Vivian was using for leverage. “What do you need me to do?”

“I—I can't take her in there..” Desiree's voice trailed off. “But I don't know where I could take her that she would be safe.” She breathed the last word. “You're the only person I can truly trust.”

“I know where we can take her,” I told her sure of myself. “Doc's room is locked to everyone, including the guards. He keeps all of the drugs up there.”

Desiree nodded her head, not speaking a word and knelt down on the floor so that she was eye level with Aundrea. Her hands were on the girl's shoulders, her whisper trailing into her ear. I couldn't hear what she was saying but when Desiree was finished, Aundrea looked up at me and smiled, missing one of her teeth.

Desiree wrapped Aundrea in a hug, lifting her up slightly off the ground, before letting her go and kissing her on the nose. “Remember what I told you,” She said, standing up and motioning Aundrea towards me.

My hand rested on the top of the Aundrea's head as she stood next to me. Desiree's eyes locked with mine, then quickly looked away and at the red doors.

“If something happens,” Desiree started, pausing to take a deep breath. She closed her eyes. “Please keep her safe.”

“Nothing is going to happen,” I told her, my eyes blazing into hers. “Don't you dare let anything happen to you.”

“I'll try,” She whispered taking a step away from me and towards the doors. My arm reached out to grab her wrist, turning her back to face me.

“Don't try. Promise.” I pleaded her. “Please be careful.”

“I will.” Desiree turned away, her eyes glittering with tears, obviously avoiding promising me.

Desi

I stood in the middle of a giant barbed-wire cage with a roaring crowd in front of me, chanting my name. Screaming spectators were jumping in their seats as they waited for the bell to ring. I felt my face clench in anger and rough breaths heaved my chest up and down. My head slowly turned from side to side with disgust at the people who were so eager to see bloodshed.

The roaring heightened as the red doors to the front of the theater in front burst open. A group of soldiers in full body armor marched in, hauling an infected woman. Her hands were cuffed behind her and a muzzle had been tied over her mouth to protect them from her deadly bite. This one must be dangerous.

They pulled at her arms trying to drag her closer to the cage but she fought them, slinging her body left to right. One of the soldiers reached up and slapped her across the face making her go still.

I could see the fury that blazed in her midnight black eyes as her body went rigid. A low growl escaped from her and the soldiers took her moment of paralysis to pick her up and carry her to the steps of the cage.

The cage stood elevated on a stage above the fronts rows of seats, and I watched horrified as the crowds’ eyes grew large with excitement. My fists clenched at my sides and I bit the insides of my cheek to keep from screaming.

The makeshift door to the cage creaked open as a soldier and the woman stepped inside with me.The woman’s black hair fell to her chin and she instantly reminded me of Selma. Pain welled up in my heart as I remembered the dedicated mother who had willingly died to potentially save her daughter. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision and I quickly blinked them away. Thank God Aundrea wasn't here.

My hurt automatically turned into hatred as I locked eyes with a woman in the balconies. Her red hair shone off of the lights above her and wicked smile spread across her face. I glared fiercely into the eyes of Vivian Hoff; my blood boiling.

“Desiree,” The guard’s voice tore my gaze from Vivian and onto the tall man in front of me that was trying to contain the flailing woman.

“It’s Desi,” I corrected him with a snarl.

The guard cleared his throat. “Sorry, Desi.” He mumbled. “Here is your weapon for this match.” He reached behind his back and pulled a hammer from his belt.

“Oh thanks,” I said sarcastically. “A hammer.” I think all of the pain and anger up to this point had made me go insane because I actually laughed in the man’s face. “Give me that damn thing,” I said ripping it out of his hand.

“Good luck,” The guard said gruffly before reaching up with his now empty hand. His fingers wound around the laces of the muzzle, untwisting them. As soon as the muzzle fell off of the woman's face the man quickly escaped through the cage door closing it behind him.

Without the muzzle the woman’s teeth bared and a snarl escaped through them.

I knew the rules. One, put on a good show for the crowd; two, get bitten, spread the cure. What bullshit that was!

I knew I was supposed to make my opponent angry, maybe slice them up a little, and in the end take a bite so that the cure can do its magic They couldn’t just inject the infected with our blood. Oh no. They had to turn it into a way to make money and be entertained in the process.

I’m not going to follow their rules. I'm sick and tired of following their rules.

My teeth ground together as I took in all of the men and women dressed in their evening attire, whom had bought their way into this camp. Seeing the thrill on their faces seemed as if they weren’t even touched by the infection outbreak. As if Evan hadn't just been killed the other night. As if nothing had even happened. But they did remember me, and they screamed my name until I thought my ears would bleed.

I focused my fury onto the infected woman in front of me. Her black eyes stayed locked onto me as she slowly started to close the distance between us. I could hear her breathing in big gulps of air, as if savoring the scent of my flesh. She closed her eyes and took one last breath before she let out a blood-curdling scream and launched herself at me.

In a split second I flipped my hammer around to the pronged side and held it above my head. Just as she reached me I brought the sharp end down into her head, blood squirting from the wound.

The crowd’s chanter ceased as the woman’s body sank to its knees and fell to the side, lifeless. Blood began to pool around her head, and the audience was so silent that I could hear my heart beating frantically in my chest.

Shock was spread across the faces of the crowd in front of me. Matches usually weren’t over so quick. They usually lasted anywhere from ten to thirty minutes. And never in a match had an infected been killed.

Before the eruptions could begin I threw my hammer to the floor with a loud bang. “I will NOT be a part of your sick form of entertainment!” I yelled at them. My eyes locked with Vivian, whose face was almost as red as her hair. “I will not be used anymore!” I directed more towards her.

I didn’t even put up a fight when the guards stormed into the cage grasping my arms and shoulders. They led me out of the cage and down the middle aisle of the theater seats. Eyes of the spectators grew wide when I passed and heads turned to watch me go. I didn’t make eye contact with anyone though. I kept my eyes glued to the back of the guard’s head in front of me.

Just as we reached the doors someone started clapping. Applause started to raise through the theater soon being enveloped by cheers and yells. I smiled to myself as the doors slammed shut behind me.

But the smile wasn’t for the crowd. It wasn’t even for myself. My smile was for Cody because he would have been proud. My heart stung at the thought of him, knowing that he was dead.

As the guards led me through the aisles of slot machines and towards the elevators, I searched over the faces of men, hoping that Ryder wasn't here. Praying that he was still in Doc's room. Aundrea would be safe, but how safe would Ryder be? Are they looking for him right now?

My heavy nervous breathing rung out over the droning elevator music, making the guards edgy next to me. The doors dinged open and they led me down the hall, my eyes trailed over the numbers wondering where they were taking to me. When they stopped in front of my suite I was confused.

The guard in front turned around, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his belt and locking them around my wrists. Fear chilled through me as he opened the door, shoving me inside and slamming it shut behind me.

My eyes swept the room, the silver of the handcuffs cold against my skin, my eyes landing on a figure lounging on the couch. With red hair.

Vivian sat with her legs propped up on the table, one pink stiletto crossed over the other, her eyes glaring straight at me.

“You think you are so smart,” Vivian said, her voice bitter. “I give and give Desiree. I give you a little freedom, you turn a death into a funeral. I spare your life, then you break the rules once again. You keep slipping out of my grip, and I don't think I can let that happen anymore.” In a sudden movement Vivian lifted her hand, which she had been resting in her lap.

In her hand was a small black revolver. She lifted it to her eyes, gazing at the barrel pulling her thumb back to cock the trigger, loading the bullet.

My eyes widened and I tried to move my arms, the handcuffs digging into the skin on my wrist with every movement.

“Come here,” Vivian said, aiming the gun at me, my eyes staring into the black hole of the barrel.

Slowly, I stepped towards her, trying to make every step as long as possible. As I got closer I saw the anger that fumed in Vivian's eyes, pouring off of her like the heat of an oven. When I stood in front of her she jerked the gun down, motioning me on my knees.

My legs felt heavy as I bent them below me, the wooden floor uncomfortable under my bony knees. I was shaking so hard, my arms jerked making my handcuffs seem tighter than they should be.

Placing one foot on the ground at a time, Vivian stood from the couch, smoothing out her khaki pants, trying to avoid wrinkles. I felt the cool metal of the gun as she pressed it between my eyes, point blank.

“You are not in control here Desiree,” Vivian said, venom filling her voice. “I am. I don't know who you think you are.”

“I don't know who you think you are,” I spoke for the first time since entering the room. “Go ahead, kill me. But what good does that do you? Yes, you may have won the little battle between us but you will still and always will be a hateful bitch.”

Vivian practically snarled at me, the gun digging a circle into my head. Her arm tightened, her finger tensing on the trigger, ready to send a bullet straight through my head.

I closed my eyes, knowing that there was nothing I could do. Cody flashed in my mind, a scenery of forest behind him, the sun shining off of his hair. His silver eyes glittered as he looked into mine, a small smile creeping onto his face, revealing a small taste of his brilliant white smile. The mere milliseconds that had gone by seemed like forever as Cody stayed imprinted in my mind, not fading away this time. I almost accepted death gladly at this point.

A loud bang of the door made me open my eyes, watching as Turner strode into the room, a triumphant smile on his face.

“Desiree!” Turner exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “That was a marvelous show!” His eyes slowly trailed from me, handcuffed, kneeling on the ground, to the gun pressed against my head by Vivian's hand.

“Oh,” He said his eyes widening. “What's going on here Vivian?” His voice was suddenly serious, business-like.

“What does it look like Turner?” Vivian asked, her face fuming from the sudden intrusion. “I'm about to blow her brains out!”

Turner quickly stepped forward his hand reaching out to stop her. “Did you not hear the crowd tonight?” He asked, his eyebrows raising in amazement. “That was the loudest I've ever heard them. And wait til you hear how much money they bet on her.”

The pressure of the gun released from my forehead, my stomach feeling suddenly woozy, sweat breaking across my skin. I glanced down at the floor, black spots filling my vision. I heard the dull murmur of Turner and Vivian's arguing voices about money and disobedience, but the fog in my mind blurred them out and I stayed on my knees, with my cuffed hands down at my legs.

“Uncuff her,” Turner's voice broke through the cloud, making my head pop up.

Vivian stared at him, unmoving from her spot. Her heels dug into the floor and the revolver quivered in her shaking fingers.

“I run the show here,” Turner said, his eyes narrowing at her. “Not you.”

Reluctantly, Vivian turned towards me, pulling a small silver key from her pants pocket. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, hating what she was doing as she unlocked the handcuffs, wincing as they fell to floor with a clank.

I rubbed my hands over my wrists, hoping to ease some of the rawness that had blemished. I looked at Turner who was looking at me.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, graciously, but still not liking the man. He may have just saved my life, but he was still the ringmaster of this circus.

“No,” Turner said, an admiring smile on his face. “Thank you. You just made me a lot of money.” He turned to leave but somehow I gained the courage to ask him a question that had been wracking my mind since I saw the first match. Ryder's match.

“Can I ask you a question?” I asked, my voice brave.

“Of course.”

“What is the point in all of the money? I mean, why have it at a time like this when it doesn't really matter?” I heard Vivian chuckle next to me, thinking I was an idiot.

“You are a cure Desiree,” Turner explained. “If there is a cure then the infection will die and eventually things will go back to the way they were. Why not be the richest man alive when everything falls back into place? Why not have all of that power?”

“Because it's wrong,” I argued, my voice dark. If he was going to keep me alive after all of this, then I might as well speak my opinion. “What kind of person wants to profit over others' pain?”

“A smart one,” Vivian said, putting in her word. Turner held out his hand to quiet her, her lips sealing shut.

“Do you not see how many people here are enjoying the same thing I am?” Turner asked, his voice growing with enthusiasm. “This is America. If any of those audience members were in my position they would be doing the exact same thing. They're all just as sick as me.”

“We have a chance to start over,” I tried to reason with him, my voice almost pleading. “It doesn't have to be like this.”

Turner and Vivian both looked at each other, an evil smile creeping up both of their lips. Throwing their heads back in unison, they laughed a deep laugh as if I had just made the funniest joke they'd ever heard.

“I like you Desiree,” Turner said, wiping his eye of a tear that had formed from his laughter. “I think I'll add you in tomorrow night after Ryder.”

A sudden gust of air left my lungs, leaving me breathless. I clenched my fists at my sides, hoping to do something to stop this, to refuse to go.

“We know you're keeping Aundrea in Doc's room,” Turner said, his voice almost singing as Vivian and him walked to the door. “If you don't come to your match tomorrow night, then I will personally break down the door to get her.”

I slouched onto the floor, my legs curling underneath me in defeat as the door clicked shut, leaving me alone in the suite. My jaw shivered and my eyes drooped, terrorized yet exhausted from everything.

I was broken. My body and my heart couldn't take anymore, from my stitched eye and raw wrists to my broken heart and constant anger-- it was all too much. I sat like that on the floor, useless and hurt, tears streaming down my face, until the door slowly cracked open, Ryder quietly coming inside, towing Aundrea behind him.

“What happened?” He whispered, as he crouched down in front of me. “Are you okay?”

I didn't answer him as I stood up off of the floor, wiping my eyes, avoiding his worried gaze. I felt Aundrea's hand wrap comfortingly in mine, but arm was slack, my hand limp in hers.

I stepped away from the both of them, walking to the bedroom and throwing myself on the bed, pulling the covers over my head and crying myself to sleep.

Cody

As I snuck up on the man in front of me, I glanced over at Durbin who was mirroring my movements. Two of them stood blocking our way and we had to take care of them.

A knife was ready in my hand, pointed towards the still man facing away from me. I tried to keep as silent as possible, but my limp made it hard, my foot dragging on the ground half of the time.

Durbin waved to me, signaling that now was the right moment. I quickly took the last two steps between me and my victim, bringing my knife to his throat and slashing it, watching as the man fell limp to the ground.

Desi

I struggled to get through the day, barely eating anything and standing motionless in the shower as the hot water hit my body. Aundrea asked numerous questions and gave me many hugs but I just mumbled in answer and kept my arms limp sat my sides. Ryder tried to talk to me several times, but I just kept my lips sealed.

“Will you please tell me what's wrong?” He asked me for the eighth time. A line creased between his brows, his eyes tight and worried.

I opened my mouth to speak but I snapped it shut quickly. If I spoke now, then I wouldn't be able to quit, and I would unleash all of my pains and frustrations on him, ending up another round of crying. Ryder sighed and tried to entertain Aundrea, who kept waiting for me to play with her.

When Ryder decided to leave so he could get ready for his match tonight, he pulled me aside, his hands placed on my shoulders.

“What happened last night?” Ryder asked, his eyes searching over my face. “You never came to Doc's room, didn't you get bitten?”

“No,” I answered flatly. “I killed her.”

Ryder's eyes widened in shock, I could see his pulse skyrocket as it throbbed in his temple. “How are you still alive?”

“Turner.” I gave him a one word answer, my voice cracking.

Ryder's eyes trailed down my arms, taking in the raw red circles lacing my wrists. His eyes saddened, his hands reaching down to grasp my forearms, his thumbs wanting to trace the inflamed line that still burnt with the touch of the air.

Glancing away from me, his jaw throbbing as he tried to keep his composure, he dropped my hands. I heard Aundrea call my name, making me tear my gaze away from him and towards the bedroom.

Without a word, Ryder left, leaving an empty space in front of me.

I got ready for the match, pulling on a white tank top with orange shorts, lacing a pair of white tennis shoes on my feet, while Aundrea was in the bathtub. I gave Aundrea a green dress that had been delivered to us yesterday, helping her zip up the back.

“Am I going to see Doc again?” Aundrea asked as the front door closed behind her.

“Yes,” I told her, my eyes constantly scanning the hallway for guards.

“Good, cause he has movies. It's boring in our room.” Aundrea rolled her eyes, a small smile struggling to find its way on my lips.

I left Aundrea with Doc, him letting me know that he would take care of her. He would put her life above his if it came down to it. My eyes pricked with tears as I told him thank you and grudgingly turned away from the door, towards the elevator.

The walk, the wait outside of the theater, listening to the audience yell for Ryder as his match went on, all of it seemed like a blur. The last roar of the crowd made me jump off the wall it was so loud, snapping me out of my stupor.

Ryder walked through the red doors, sweat dripping down his body. My eyes searched over him, trying to find a bite-mark, but there was nothing new, only the old marks of his last matches. A small smile lifted at the corners of his lips.

“I couldn't let you be the only one on their hit-list,” Ryder said, taking a step towards me. “I can't let you do it alone.”

My eyes glossed over, stinging at my lids, raw from crying. I smiled thankfully, the motion not feeling as wrong as it had earlier. “Thank you,” I whispered, looking away from him. The audience had began to chant my name. I cocked my eyebrow. “Duty calls.”

I could feel Ryder's eyes on me as I walked away, through the red doors. The men and women in the theater went even more wild than before as I walked down the long aisle, and into the cage.

I avoided all eye contact with anyone, not even sparing a glance up at Turner and Vivian's balcony. Instead I turned my gaze to the infected that now snarled as guard's dragged him in.

His glossy black hair, flung to and fro as he whipped his head around, trying to bite at the guards. I gasped when I saw that he was missing an eye. A deep dark red hole stood in place of it, the boy's braces flashing at me as he bared his teeth.

My hands shook with anger when I realized that this was the boy that Ryder had fought-- had pulled out his eye. I felt bile rising in my throat, knowing that they must have purposely reinfected him. I shook more and more as they inched closer to the cage, my body quaking furiously when the door swung open.

I couldn't take my eyes off of the infected boy as a guard handed me a knife. I grasped it tightly in my hand, taking a few steps back before the guard left me alone with the boy.

I spun my eyes around, trying to get a glimpse of Ryder, hoping that he was seeing what I was seeing, knowing too that this was the boy. My eyes trailed along the wall, searching. Instead of a pair of ocean eyes, my gaze fell upon a different colored pair.

A familiar silver pair of eyes stared back at me, making my heart stop completely. It was as if time had ceased to exist, and everything was frozen around me. All noise cut off, leaving only my heavy breathing to fill my ears.

I glanced behind the eyes, to the familiar cheekbones and shaggy honey hair. I took in the face that I had longed to see for what seemed like eternity. My chin quivered and my hands fell loose, the knife dangling from my fingers.

Am I dead? Was the only question the rang through my mind.

But the question was soon answered as a throat-ripping snarl made the world flow back into motion. My eyes flicked to my left to see the infected boy running towards me, his teeth ready to sink into my skin.

My arm jerked out at the perfect moment, the knife burying in his throat. A horrible gurgling noise rose from him as he fell to his knees, blood pouring from under the knife.

The audience stood up off of their feet, clapping their hands as my eyes darted to the same wall I had just seen him. But my vision was blocked.

I flung open the cage door, leaping from the elevated stage and sprinting to the right, my eyes glued to the wall. But when I reached the edge, my veins pounding with adrenaline, the wall was vacant.

My heart raced as I glanced up at the balcony, Turner and Vivian's eyebrows both twisted in confusion as they watched me. I quickly readjusted the emotion on my face, trying to make it blank, as I walked the rest of the way to the red doors.

I slowly made my way through the lobby, hoping to not draw anymore attention to myself, knowing one other place he could possibly be. I knew he wasn't a figment of my imagination. All the times I'd seen his face in my mind they had never seemed as real as this moment. He was here.

"Cody,"  I whispered to myself.