Colour Kill

Chapter 6

"Push, Push!" A midwife shouts as she has her hand grasped firmly on someone's leg. Another woman grunts and shouts continuously. The woman screaming lets out one last yelp. "Ah look here she comes" Says the midwife soothingly. She pulls out a pink and wrinkly baby that screams in her arms. The woman who just gave birth starts to settle down, but still lets out soft whimpers. Still screaming, the baby rests on the arm of the midwife. "Now now sweetheart" She coos her eyes glistening with love. With great uncertainty, the midwife looks up from the baby. "Would you like to see your baby ?" The midwife asks, whilst bringing the baby closer to the woman. The image becomes grainy and gradually fades away until the baby is no longer in sight.

Low pitched screams, this time real screams, fill my ears making me spring up. Where am I? A hit of realisation storms over me in a quick stab of pain to my head. I'm in New York and someone is screaming. In one pump of adrenaline through my veins, I grab my gun and burst out of the car without any consolation of what the nearby danger could be. With my gun gripped tightly in my hands I spin my self around to survey the area. The bright sun blocks my view and easing one hand from the gun I lift up my arm to shelter my eyes. Immediately my eyes lock onto a wendigo on top of a boy, the boy keeps fighting back punching it, kicking it screaming at it to go away. I sprint towards them whilst readying my gun. With shaking breathes vibrating throughout my whole body I look through the viewfinder. Slowly like a cloud passing through a summer sky I curl my finger around the trigger. Then I pull it.

The wendigo falls to the floor in a bloody mess. Staring at it as it falls to the floor, a sense of relief allows my body to relax, I run over to the boy. He is laying on the floor, his knees tucked into his chest and his large hands clamped over his ears. I offer him my hand he takes and I heave him up. "Nice aim" he chirps with a toothy grin and sparkling eyes wide with admiration. I think I like him already. " Thanks, are you okay?" I mutter concerned, although his smile on his face makes it looks like everything was okay.
"Yeah I'm good now thanks so much" He says
"It's no problem" I reply
"I'm Jevi by the way" He says offering me his large hand
"I'm Gaia" I say as an unexpected smile creeps up on my face, his smile must be contagious because I don't remember the last time I smiled.

Neither of us says anything and an inevitable awkward silence comes fourth "So... what are you doing in New York Gaia?" He asks, as his wide smile deteriorates into a smaller one. I bite my lip as I look up at him deciding not to tell him to much yet "I just came here to look for food, what about you" He nods his head as if he knows what I'm going through.
" Well, I'm looking for my friend Kerry we got split up when some Wendigos came and I'm really worried about her" He says, woefully bowing his head. His top lip slightly twitches as he decides what to say next "You can come...with me, If you want" His chirpy voice fades into a sad low voice as he mentions Kerry, I feel so bad for him I really don't have had anything else to do. Except hide. So why not? Jevi looks at me with a small smile waiting for an answer and a huge smile is my response.

Jevi and I wander up and down the streets looking for his friend Kerry. For the past hour now we have been doing this, going into buildings and calling her name. We have not stopped talking, we have talked about our lives before the Wendigos, He is originally from Canada and both his parents are from Nigeria. At first, I was a bit reluctant to talk not having had a proper conversation with anyone in years but soon the words started to spill out of my mouth like water in a stream.

The sun blazes in the sky letting its heat wander around as Jevi and I carry on sluggishly walking around street shouting Kerry's name. "Jevi is that you?" A desperate voice shouts from around a corner a few yards in front of us. Abruptly Jevi spins his head away from me and sticks his head out like a meerkat. " Kerry over here!" he shouts cupping his hands around his mouth so he can shout louder. A stream of black waves with fading blue tips woosh past me as a girl jumps on Jevi embracing him tightly as she buries her head in his shoulder. Whilst they are locked in their embrace, I play with my hands my eyes not sticking to one place. They mutter a few words before they turn their attention to me.

"Kerry, this is Gaia, she killed the Wendigo that was hunting me" Kerry's wide eyes inspect me as I lift up my hand to shake her hand, however instead she jumps on me and hugs me tightly. Sucking in a breath, I tap her back not to sure what to do "Thank you thank you, thank you I don't know what I would do without him" She gives me one last squee then let's go still gleaming up at me. " So Gaia where are you off to now" Jevi asks. Chewing on my lip viciously I ponder this thought. The reality is, is that I have no clue where I should go, where it would be safe, I'm completely stuck "Honestly I have not a clue I will probably just head up north"
Kerry starts to jump up and down "You have to come with us we would love to have you" Shocked at her suggestion my mouth slightly parts.
"Mmmm, I wouldn't like to intrude" I mutter back. Kerry whacks her hand down in disapproval "Oh don't be silly" come on you cant wonder by yourself it dangerous the amount of Wendigos has increased" Dangerous for you maybe, but not for me. I have no colour. "Well, I guess why not" I say shrugging my shoulders Jevi and Kerry cheer and share a high five as we begin to walk down the streets of New York. Together.

The empire state building stands majestically in the sky, the sun glazing the windows. "Wow" Whispers Jevi quietly to himself, his eyes taking in the fantastic building. "Let's go in" Suggests Kerry. Jevi and I both nod, then we follow her. With a grand push, she opens the doors. We walk in, our excited eyes scanning the room. A large thump escapes from the end of the room. Our heads snap towards each other, fear straining their eyes. "What was that" Kerry whispers her eyes still locked with mine. "I dunno... let's go check" Kerry Kerry sighs and Jevi starts to walk in front of me. Flinging my arm over to him, I stop him from going any further. He raises his eyebrow in question. "If it is a Wendigo, it is better if I go first" Understandingly he nods his head. Pulling the gun from behind me, I ready it in my hands. We creep down the long room, in the direction of the noise. "I think it is coming from behind that desk" Whispers Kerry, feebly pointing her finger at the large desk. I carry on walking with them trailing behind. We walk the last few meters, just skirting the side of the desk. Just one look behind the desk, my gun starts to slips from my hands, hastily I grip it tighter as a harsh gasp escapes from my mouth. Kerry and Jevi step back gasping as well. An old woman with crazy grey hair has her teeth pushed into a dead Wendigo. She whips her head up, tearing a piece of rotting flesh straight from the Wendigos body. She stares at us, chewing madly away at the meat. Her face is covered in blood and her nimble hands are clutched around different insides. Opening her mouth she lets the meat fall to the floor. "Hello children" She says, her voice extremely hoarse and her teeth stained with blood. "Let's go. NOW !" I shout, Jevi starts to run but Kerry is paralysed eyes locked on the deranged woman. Grabbing Kerry's arm I drag her with me, she finally starts running and we all burst through the doors. We keep sprinting till we a good few blocks away. Stumbling to a stop we stare at each other wide-eyed, our breaths protruding out our mouths harshly. "Oh my god that was disgusting" Jevi spits out, with a look of true disgust. Kerry recovers from our sprint and looks up at us "This is what the world has come to, eating Wendigos" Kerry mutters quietly, bowing her head back down. "I think we need to find a place for tonight" Jevi says. Kerry and I both agree so we carry to walk through the streets, till we reach a secluded alley where we decide to build a fire.

The fire we have built blazes in front of us as we all sit around it. The back of my throat itches in pain, I haven't had anything to drink in a long time and another day without water and I will die. I can't believe I have actually gone this long without water.
"Do you guys have any water?" I managed to croak out. Kerry lifts up her hand signally me to wait as she rummages around her backpack. " Here I only have a little left, but our camp is next to a river". I bring the bottle to my mouth and tip it, the water glides down my throat taking the pain away. Using a lot of mental strength I pull the bottle away from my lips even though I'm craving more I ignore my thirst and leave some water for everyone else.

New York sleeps in the darkness of the night and the only light is coming from the embers of the fire. In the last few hours, I have gotten to know Kerry very very well. She is extremely chatty, I now know she's from LA and half Japanese, I also know the name of her goldfish when she was eight, never the less I really do like her.
Sighing I stretch my arms backs trying to rid the tension in my shoulders. "So Gaia what's your colour?" Kerry asks I cringe at the question even though I knew it was inevitable. I keep my eyes on the floor. Can I tell them? They cant really be a risk, they are actually lucky that they didn't get picked up by the Alpahrei. And in my gut, I feel like I can trust them, " I don't actually, um have a ... colour" I glare up from my hands to look at their faces anxiously. Jevi wrestles up a throaty laugh as Kerry stares at me with her mouth slightly open. Jevi's laughing comes to a stop " Oh shit you're not joking" Then I explain the events of the past days.

I tell them absolutely everything except the part where Alpharei is my middle name. Even though I get the feeling I can trust them I leave it out. "Shit" is the only word that comes out their mouths however the faces are speaking for them as they seem lost for words. "Awww poor you I can't imagine all the worries you have" Kerry condoles
"Yeah it must be driving you crazy" Jevi says
"I have figured the best way to cope is just to try to block it hard or at least try" They both give me small smiles.
"And I guess we are not helping" Kerry announces tilting her head slightly. Jevi slaps his hands on his knees and pushes himself up from the floor "Well I think we should get to bed we have a long day tomorrow" I think they understand I don't really want to talk about it and for that, I'm really thankful. "Okay Gaia, here you can take this sleeping bag" Kerry offers, holding it out to me. "No you take it, I don't really get cold" I tell her. Which really is not a lie. "Of come off it, just take it" She urges again.