Booted feet fell down heavily with every step and although muffled by the damp decaying concrete, to Jon, they could have been as loud as an entire hoard of elephants. He hissed as a piece of the road broke away under his footing, the resonating crack far too noticeable. Eyes darted swiftly left then right and even though the surroundings appeared dark and uninhabited the fear, anxiety and paranoia drove Jon to sidle over near a crumbling brick wall and press his already tiring body against the mouldy surface.

Pausing, not even daring to breath, he listened. Yet only the sounds of the night greeted him, and Jon was not sure if should feel relieved or disappointed. He didn’t come all this way for nothing.

Edging his way from the cover, he prepared himself to make another dash when a shriek of spine-tingling laughter froze his body rigid. Groping his side for the gun, he touched the reassuring metal trigger of the pistol securely attached to his belt. It was right at hand and ready to kill. Yet Jon sincerely hoped he would not have to use it, despite the upcoming peril.

With a breath hitching uncomfortably in his throat Jon continued creeping out, stooping low for stealth and silence. Moonlight lit the road like a silver river; it was a guiding light, or maybe a beacon for predators to easily snatch him up. Jon pretended he wasn’t nervous but his body betrayed him; his hands shaking and heartbeat becoming near erratic.

Treading the illuminated path Jon let his ear direct him, the furore rising up since the first, signifying cry. Howls of anger, pain, amusement and outright insanity seemed to vibrate in the air itself. To Jon it gave the illusion he was surrounded by the shadowy creatures who were emitting the screams. No, Jon corrected himself, they weren’t creatures – they were human beings.

Making a final scurry he hid behind a broken down car. Its rusty shell provided minimum concealment. The vehicle was decent enough for Jon though, and peering out through the long-broken windows he surveyed the congregation with searching eyes… Searching for what was promptly answered.

Hunched over on all fours, amongst the herd of writhing and wailing beings was Sam. It certainly was him. Jon was sure. The same round face, nose like a pug, and the astonishing flame-coloured hair not even dulled by the bluish moonlight in the slightest. Yet of course there were also changes; deformities which made half of Jon want to flee with repulsion, the other half compelled to stare in gruesome entrancement. Jon quelled these instincts, swallowing hard as he mentally and physically prepared himself for what he was about to do.

Gripping to the gun as if it was a final lifeline – which technically it was, as those bullets it contained would be the only barrier between him and unrestrained pain – Jon steadily, albeit tensely,  began moving out from behind the wreckage. He never quite made it though as an unrelenting bony grip yanked his ankle, startling and pulling him jerkily to the harsh ground. It did not take long after for a second hand to wrap around his face, clamping his mouth shut and preventing even the slighted peep to escape Jon’s lips. Breathing heavily through his nose Jon thrashed and convulsed, yet the hands that held him were made of steel and not budging. Still, he fought, his thoughts spiralling down into the same single notion.

…Sam! He had to get to Sam! So close, just so close… Fight!

With renewed strength he twisted around to grapple with his devious attacker. Only instead, he found himself face-to-face with the steely grey eyes of Morgan. Shocked, Jon choked on his tongue, spluttering and staring wide-eyed at his friend-turned-assailant.

“Morgan!” He spat out as soon as she removed her muffling seize on his jaw. Immediately Morgan reprimanded him. “Quiet, you fool! Jeez…” Pausing, she made a quiet tutting noise, before grabbing Jon’s arm and silently dragging him away from his goal, back into the labyrinth of broken side streets.

Jon resisted, feeling his chance to get Sam back slip right through his outstretched fingers. Time seemed to become condensed into still snapshots and Jon’s voice, a frenzied babble, came out broken and sporadic as he pleaded with Morgan to release him. Although nothing could even put a chip in her stout resolution.

Eventually Morgan did stop, unhanding him with a rough shove. Jon exploded.

“How could you!?” He roared, whipping around to face Morgan. “I was almost there!” Morgan showed no pity, merely frowning down on Jon like he was a disrespectful child. “No,” she spoke, bitterness echoing in every word. “How could you. I told you, I told you a thousand times, give up.”

A defiant growl bubbled in Jon’s throat as he clenched his fists. “I can’t. Not when I can still save Sam.”

“He’s beyond saving. You know what they did. Give up.”

“No…”

Morgan sighed, running a hand through her strawy blond hair. “Everyone’s just a puppet for the government now. You can’t save any of them. Just use your eyes! You saw them, their scars.”

“Th-That doesn’t matter!” Jon stuttered as his resolve wavered. Angry, he glared at Morgan. “They’re more like hunted animals than human beings right now! If we could only give them the chance to be free…”

“They’d still kill you!” She shouted back, becoming enraged as her patience wore thin. Palming the back of her knuckles till they made a hostile crack, Morgan made a dismissive ‘Tch’ before turning on heel and walking away. “Naivety,” She snarled, wrinkling her nose as if the word itself was a putrid odour. Without even a glance back she strode off, disappearing between the shadows of two dilapidated buildings.

Jon eyed her as the left, the glower never leaving his expression. Morgan simply didn’t understand. Sam was his best friend; he had to anything to save him! Just because he looked a little different – Jon shuddered at the memory – it didn’t mean anything! There had to be some human in him somewhere. Somewhere…

Shaking his head to dispose of the thoughts, Jon took a deep jerky breath.
He stood silently for a moment to gather his wits, and with a slight start he jogged after Morgan through the darkness.