One (Alone Book 3) Read online

  Ollie felt sick, he didn’t really understand what was going on, he wanted to move, to run but if he made any noise then the doctor would know he’d been watching. He went to turn anyway when a hand slapped over his mouth.

  “Shhh it’s me”, Sian whispered.

  Ollie relaxed, as long as she was with him everything would be ok.

  “What are you doing here”, she whispered in his ear.

  “I heard a noise and came to check it out”, he whispered back.

  “Well next time wake me up first…” she stopped as the doctors footsteps moved their way. Both of them holding their breath in case he had heard them. She heard him pick something up, draw the curtains closed and walk off leaving the poor, new addition to his army asleep in her bed. Sian looked out and noticed how blonde her hair was, like golden silk, she was pretty too with kind facial features but she also noticed how she was nearly an adult, how that could make her trouble!

  ~

  Ollie and Sian hid back in their make shift bedroom, Stacie was off around the hospital trying to get away from the doctor after helping Ollie back into the tunnel after he cut the power and they were alone again.

  Sian was playing with Ollie’s hair, it was like a comfort thing for her to treat him like her own child even though she was still a child herself.

  “Do you think we will ever get out of here?” Ollie asked.

  Sian didn’t answer straight away, instead she leant her head back against the metal and closed her eyes. Normally when she done this she could imagine and see them somewhere happy, away from all the death and disaster but today she just couldn’t see it. “Course we will”, she replied with a full on fake happy response, which she herself didn’t believe.

  “What if we don’t? What will happen”, He said turning to her.

  She opened her eyes and stroked his hair, “We will so we don’t have to think of a what if”.

  “What if I lose you, how will I find you?”

  “You won’t lose me Ollie, I’m your big sister I’m here to annoy you forever”, she grinned.

  “But if I do”.

  “Then go back to the beginning…Meet me at the beginning”.

  “The beginning?”

  “The beginning”.

  “I don’t understand?”

  “Ollie, just meet me at the beginning” …

  ~

  …Sian was gone, she was gone and now he was all alone, that idiot doctor had taken her away, let her crash and burn to the bottom of the hospital and now he had no one. The tears burned as Stacie called after him as he ran, he didn’t want her she wasn’t Sian she was going to be another adult just like Sian had worried about, another adult making adult mistakes and getting people killed.

  “Ollie…Exit…Two hours…Go”.

  He couldn’t make out what she really said, his sobbing and broken heart drowned out all the noise. He clambered into one of the tunnels, found his way to the one he and Sian used as a getaway, a hidey hole that the doctor or Stacie could never find. Some of their blankets they had stolen from the laundry room where still there, her smell was over some of them and he snuggled up into them. He cried for what felt like hours, his throat dry and sore, his eyes puffing with nothing left to give. Then it happened, the anger took over and Ollie knew what he had to do, he had to seek revenge for Sian, he had to make sure the doctor paid for taking her away from him, even if it was the last thing he done…

  ~

  …He ran, he could hear the bullets flying in the other room, the one with all the strange incubators and people who were no longer people…KABOOM…An explosion rocketed the floor and he stumbled, he could see into the room now, Stacie had been fighting the doctor, shot a gas canister and tried to kill him that way but he got up, his skin burnt to a crisp and then peeling off as the water sprinklers spat on. Stacie frozen as the doctor charging for her with a syringe. No! He couldn’t let her go too, he needed someone, Sian would want him to have someone…He spotted the shotgun on the floor and lunged for it, turning on the spot and aiming hoping to hell he would miss Stacie and just hit who he wanted…BANG! The noise was deafening and the kickback hurt from the gun but he had done it, the doctor fell flat on the floor, Stacie was alive…He watched as a light shone around her, either from the flames or from something else and he knew from then on she was special, she was an angel sent to protect him, sent to help people, sent to help the world…

  ~

  Kaley was worried about something, she was sobbing in her sleep and Ollie held onto her as tightly as possible… “Why did it change?” she sobbed, “Why is she there, where am I? What changed? What did I do wrong?”

  He didn’t want to risk waking her and she blasting the room with all the others in but he couldn’t stand her being upset in her sleep, so he gently stroked her hair. She opened her eyes and looked at him, “I have to show you something”, she whispered grabbing his face and making him look into her tear stained eyes.

  “I will see eventually”, he soothed.

  “No, you won’t”, she cried.

  He felt sick to his stomach, but he tried to be strong, “Then show me”.

  And she did…Things had changed…She was the one.

  Chapter Nine…

  Kaley glanced up at the sky as the first few drops of rain splashed down on her face and on the pavement around them. The sky had darkened too quickly and they were nowhere near the checkpoint they wanted to be at.

  “We need to find shelter”, Ollie commanded looking at the abandoned buildings around them, “That one there looks safe”.

  “We shouldn’t wait too long, we need to keep moving”, Kian said, “We don’t have a lot of time remember”.

  “We also need to keep everyone safe and alive and that means not letting them get ill by catching a goddamn cold and if the thunder arrives we need to make sure we are out of the creatures way”, Ollie stated causing Kaley to smile to herself she loved Ollies assertiveness even against an ex-army soldier.

  Kian shrugged not wanting a fight or just not bothered enough to fight it, “Your call”.

  They all walked over to an old hotel, the old red paintwork on the outside was peeling off and many of the windows to the rooms were smashed but it looked secure or as secure as buildings got now a days, the doors had metal shutters down over it but Stacie soon made quick work of them ripping them up and then placing them back over the entrance once they were inside. The hotel was dark and gloomy, a stale smell of mould and stagnant water hit her nose. The reception desk was strewn with old random paperwork which had clogged together in the damp atmosphere.

  Kaley hadn’t meant to upset or confuse Stacie and as she glanced over at the girl who had saved her life so often she knew something was going on inside her head as she too had been acting different just like she knew she herself had, they both had so much going on and Stacie had no idea of what the outcome would be and soon enough it would be so near the end. She watched as it looked like Stacie had seen something that no one else had seen, turning her head sharply before looking away Kaley looked but there was nothing.

  Although she hadn’t meant to confuse her too much, she knew it had to happen, Stacie had to feel this all now not later, she had to plant the idea of loving Kian but then trying to take it away by warning her off because she had to feel what Kaley herself was feeling, the heartache of not being able to be with someone. That Stacie’s feelings would grow for him and the more she planted that seed in Stacie’s mind the more she would think it, think she was falling for someone she couldn’t have but there was of course the other reason, she wasn’t just being mean, she was trying to protect Stacie in her own way. She needed to make sure things happened when they meant to, to keep the reality she had seen in her mind going and it included Kian. If she changed it in the wrong way then it could change the outcome of all of this and she couldn’t have that, not now, not when she had already changed something so drastically or at least she hoped she had. She couldn’t let anythin
g else go wrong, not now.

  “Right I think the upper floors will be safer for us”, Ollie said grabbing a load of keys, “We stay for one night and then move on, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day”.

  Kaley wished she could hope for that, but she couldn’t, tomorrow would just be the same, shitty, death filled day…She just hoped she had changed enough for it to not be his.

  Ollie led them up through the dusty corridors and staircases that led up to the upper floors. Stacie had gone ahead to check for any threats but came with the good news that it was all clear, just a little mouldy up here from a leaky roof. Once settled in the two driest rooms they all prepared something to eat, Kian and Stacie had then wondered off to the old kitchens to see if they could loot any supplies, food was starting to run low again.

  There was definitely tension in the air now and it was Kirsty who decided to break it, “Why is it so icy in here now?”

  “Icy?” Dwayne asked.

  “Yeah you know, the tension between Stacie and Kaley, I thought the two infected ones were best buddies, or is there a clash of egos on who is the better infected one”.

  Stacie looked up, “There isn’t any tension between us”.

  “Sorry chick there is, everyone can feel it”, Dwayne answered back, “What happened? Ya’ll can tell me?”

  “Nothing, things are just a little confusing right now, we… We are all making a journey where we don’t know what the end outcome will be”, Stacie said and went back to eating.

  “Kaley?” Ollie asked.

  But Kaley wasn’t home, something flashed in her mind, something she thought couldn’t happen now. Her tummy raged with the butterflies of fear making her palms sweat and her mouth run dry, this wasn’t good, it couldn’t be now.

  “Do you know what I find weird?” Ruth asked changing the subject.

  “What?” Ollie asked.

  “Is how you two are a couple”.

  He looked cross, “What do you mean how we are a couple?”

  “Well not being rude but she’s infected and you’re not. Can you two even kiss? Or hold hands?”

  Ollie’s face dropped, “Love isn’t always about intimacy…I love her no matter what”.

  “So you wouldn’t mind dying a virgin then?” Ruth taunted.

  “Shut up Ruth, give the kid a goddamn break”, Damien hissed.

  “What it’s only a question”.

  “I would rather die a virgin than not be with her”, Ollie snapped which shut her up.

  Kaley stood up suddenly, Stacie looked up at her friend, “Kaley”.

  “I need some air”, she breathed and ran out the room.

  “Now look what you’ve done”, Damien hissed.

  “What it was a very valid question”.

  “No it was damn rude and you know it”, Damien replied back.

  Stacie stood up and went to go after her but Ollie grabbed her hand, “No, let me”.

  She stood back and let him go.

  Kaley ran, ran through the old damned hotel crying, the hot tears not even quenching the pain that filtered through her whole body. Her mind flipped out and bent causing a wall beside her to explode into thousands of plasterboard chips. Screaming and crying she tripped up, smashing her fists on the floor over and over until they hurt deep inside, the tissue inside bruised and screaming at her to stop.

  “Kaley, what’s wrong?” Ollie asked.

  She froze he wasn’t meant to follow her, “Go back to the room Ollie, I just need a moment”.

  “I’m not going anywhere, not until you tell me what’s going on and don’t lie to me, something is going on you just blew up a wall”.

  She turned to him, her eyes a wild mess, “Please, I want to keep you for just a few more minutes”.

  Ollie’s face dropped and then so did he to his knees on the dusty carpet, “It’s going to happen tonight isn’t it?”

  She nodded, “I love you and I’m so sorry, I thought I could save you, but it just made it worse”.

  His face softened, “Don’t be sorry, I’m just glad we had the time together that we had”, and with that he pushed his mouth on hers and kissed her passionately, she kissed him back knowing that it wasn’t the infection from her that would kill him.

  ~

  I stood at the window looking out over the now soaked street below, the rain had hit hard along with flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder. I stood there looking out over the street worrying, about Ollie. Something couldn’t happen to Ollie, not my little Ollie. My mind raced with his name over and over again, I could feel my blood pressure rising and the beast inside howl at the surface. My mind felt like something was going to claw right out of it, a sudden impulse inside me wanted to smash the window before me and jump out of it and crash down onto the street below but it wouldn’t kill me, it would only cause me to turn and to come back to kill them. Pushing it back down I grabbed my bag and swallowed more pills than I should to try and keep these feelings and panic at bay, I had downed nearly a whole packet when Kian took the packet from me, “How many have you taken?”

  I shrugged, “Don’t know”.

  “What’s wrong”.

  I shrugged, “Kaley…Ollie…Something, something is wrong but I don’t know what, I can feel it, calling to me inside, it’s all going to go wrong and I’m afraid I’m losing it…I’m losing control of me, I’m afraid I’m going to lose everyone”.

  Kian took my chin in his hand, “Talk to me, tell me more, I can help you”.

  “But you can’t, it might hurt you, it might hurt everyone it might get you all killed”.

  He didn’t snap his arm back instead he just glared into my eyes, “Is this really about Kaley or something else?”

  I nodded, “Kaley and Ollie”.

  “What did she say?”

  “I…don’t know…”

  “You need to tell me”, he called out over a crash of roaring thunder which sounded too close. Followed by another flash of lightning and more crashing thunder. I felt the building shake with the vibrations, felt a crack, felt it snap.

  BOOM! The floor all around us shook violently, I knew it wasn’t Kaley this time as I didn’t feel her power surge through the atmosphere. This was something different.

  Kaley and Ollie reappeared looking flushed and panicked, “The building is falling apart, it’s going to collapse”, Ollie called out, “Run!”

  Grabbing Cain’s hand along with my bag with my bow and rifle shoving it all on my shoulder I ran, Cain struggled and stumbled so I swooped him up in my arms and carried him. The building moaned and groaned under my feet as I charged. The ceiling above me suddenly snapped in half causing a large gush of rain water to pour down over us both but I held my ground keeping a tight grip on Cain. Looking up I could see right up past the few upper floors above us and out into the electric skies above. This wasn’t good, really wasn’t good. The creatures for the next few days would all be electrically charged and become more dangerous... Then a thought hit me, was this why I felt so strange? Was it the creature inside me reacting to the storm?

  CREAK, the floor boards lifted and ruptured all around me as I ran, bricks, dust and plaster all rained down over me and Cain as I charged through the building. I took to the stairs jumping and dodging debris that flew at us, I didn’t have time to think or care about anyone else I just had to make sure Cain was safe. The walls crumbling and moving all around us, then it changed, the building was not just falling to pieces, it was moving, slanting to the left. Changing tactics I raced through the corridor that was lifting upwards, I was going to need to get away from the crumple zone behind me before it collapsed onto the building behind us. My legs pumped and the acid burned as I charged full pelt. The room in front of me rose up high and I ran as fast as I possibly could, the hotel reached an angle and the door to the room slammed shut but it didn’t stop me, tucking Cain into my body I slammed my body into the soggy door, smashing it to splinters. Pausing momentarily I spotted a patio type door which led
out to a small balcony, as the building rose I could see the windows on the building opposite. It was a risk I was going to have to take, I couldn’t let Cain be crushed to death in this building.

  “Stacie”, it was Kian’s voice as he rushed in behind me, “What are you going to do?”

  “Jump, I suggest you do the same”.

  “Go I’ll help you”, I turned to see Kaley run in with Ollie, “Jump and I’ll boost you all over”.

  “No you need to go with us”, I said.

  “I’ll be fine, I’ll be right behind you all”, she smiled weakly, “Go”.

  Not wasting anytime arguing with her as I knew we needed her to boost us over and as I could feel Cain shake in my arms from fear I ran, time seemed to slow down as Kaley sent out a blast smashing all the windows and the patio doors in front of me. I jumped up onto the balcony railings and pushing with all my might, I jumped and curled my body up into a ball as Kaley gave me the boost.

  Sharp pain scratched at my arms and legs as my body cannonballed the window opposite and myself and Cain landed heavily on the wooden floor boards of another hotel, I hissed with a dull pain that struck me from landing awkwardly on my rifle. Another smash echoed beside me and I watched as Kian and Ollie landed awkwardly beside one another. Turning back I watched as Kaley launched herself and I knew she wasn’t going to make it, the hotel behind her shifted and groaned lowering itself so she wasn’t as high as she needed to be.

  Not saying a thing I handed Cain to Ollie and launched myself back out the window once again, Kaley’s face full of worry and panic as she watched me launch myself at her. I reached her in the air wrapping my arms around her before we then collided and smashed back into the falling hotel.

  “No, no this can’t be happening we need to get to Ollie”, Kaley shouted. “You should have stayed with Ollie!”