chapter 19

I woke up hungry and Tabi was up and ready to train. I smile at her and saw Riley getting ready as well. I guess today was training day for all of us. I got up to get ready as well. Today was going to be a long day but I was looking forward to it. Today I was going to train Tabi again and add another lap to build up her running endurance and work on her swing. Then after that, I was going to test my limits with Claire again. Oh damn! Claire is hot as fuck. I mean I don't have to think of her that way but she saw me staring at her, so I guess she was used to it. I wonder if Sally knows. She is scary as shit. Oh no, what if Claire told her. I'm so done for. But for now I just needed to eat and train Tabi. After eating, Tabi and I went outside. It was April 1st, but it wasn't time to be a fool on this day in our world. "Alright, we are running six laps today" I told Tabi and I saw her pout but she started running anyway. I laugh at her but keep in pace with her. After running we did sit ups, push ups and I thought I should do at least one pull up. By the time we were doing it I told her we were going to work on attacking. She looks happy at that. "Alright, you're going to try and attack me, by doing this I can see how strong you are and how you will take down a growler or a ticker" I told her but she had a hint of worry in her eyes. "Don't worry kid, I'm going to be fine, you can't hurt me" I said and smiled at her.

With a quick resolve she came at me. I dodge and side stepped her swings. She wasn't that powerful but she was fast. A hit landed sometimes but I would easily grab the bat or block it. After some time, I told her to try and get me down. She didn't understand what I meant so I show her. I stepped up to her, moved my leg behind her and pushed her down. She landed on her back and looked up at me. "That's one way to take someone down" I told her and helped her back up. I show her some other ways of taking down someone then I let her try them on me. First, I let her do a few practice tries before we were going to do the real thing. By that I mean me coming at her and trying to attack her. I didn't push her hard but I didn't want to go easy on her. This was training for the world outside the walls. I mean, I wasn't going to send her out there until she was sixteen but we could use this to train and fight and to get her ready.

I attack her with different moves and moving around. I take her down but every once and awhile she would take me down and when she did I was proud. After a few more rounds, I ended it and told her to go eat. She did what she was told and we went inside to eat. Then when that was over I was thrown over the shoulders of Claire. "What the fuck" I said to her. "It's time to really push your limits" Claire said. Damn it, I was going to get it. "But I was training Tabi" I said "Riley is going to take care of that now, I saw you run that kid to the ground. Good job by the way it will make her a great fighter one day but now I'm going to turn you into a better fighter and a better teacher for Tabi" said Claire with a smile. If that smile didn't scare me more than the undead then I am going to dead today. Claire drop me on the gym floor. "We aren't going to be training outside because we are going to test your zombie state" she said. I looked at her and thought about it. I didn't know my limit and I didn't know my strength. All I know is that when I hear or I feel this sensation then my body starts to grow hot. Then I go a bit crazy in fighting them.

"Today we are going to try and understand this and control it" I nodded then she came at me fast. I didn't have time to think when I felt her fist hit my jaw and her other fist hitting me in the gut. I double over and saw her knee and got hit square in the face by it. I fall to the floor in pain. But got back up and took it. I block and did my best to dodge her but she was fast and good on her feet. She got me down in a matter of seconds and pin me to the floor. "You're not trying Jackie" she yells at me. I didn't say anything back because she punches me in the gut knocking the wind out of me. I felt my body get hot but not in the same way. I was getting mad because Claire was a better fighter but didn't give me a chance to fight back. Each punch and kick was hard but I could feel myself healing. Then she said something that triggered my body to get hot. "Riley and Tabi are going to die because you're too weak!" she yelled at me and I felt my body grow hot. And I went at her. I throw punches and some of them landed but not all of them. "Control it Jackie" she yell "Don't let it control you" she told me. And I fought hard to control it but I was losing that fight with myself.

I stop moving and look at Claire. She had the 'oh fuck' look and stood her ground. I charge at her punching and kicking. She was keeping up barely until I hear a voice. "Stop it Jackie!" I knew that voice. It was Riley. I look to Claire and saw her panting with bruised arms. I step back from her while Riley took a step forward to me. I took another step back and turn t2o leave them. But I felt a hand on my shoulder turning me back around, it was Claire and she was smiling. "I did this, I said some things that triggered you to change, don't blame yourself but now you need to learn how to control it and use it without a trigger" she told me. I look up at her and into her eyes trying to understand. She just smiles again and told me to fight again. I didn't want to but she told me to just do it and I do. We fight and hit each other, I still felt the strength of her hit and I know she felt mine but I was healing. Then I felt a hit to the back and look over my shoulder to see Riley was fighting. "I'm going to help, I don't give a fuck about what you say" she said and I let her join in. It was getting dark and we all have cuts and bruises but I was healing slowly now. We were still going at it but this time Luke was in on it. He wanted to know how strong I was even if I was weaken I could still kick ass.

After a few more rounds we stop and all headed to eat and to where the doctors set up a clinic. I didn't go to see them but Claire and Luke did. Riley too because I threw her off of my back during a fight but I didn't mean to but she shook it off and kissed me. I just ate and my cuts started to heal while I watch the others get checked out. I think today was a good day and I got some control over it but I still wasn't the best at it. I mean, I was the only one like this so this was all I could do. I was the only one who could fight the freaks and have super fast healing. But at the same time I am only just a person trying to live in hell. But I had to make do with what I got and I had friends and a girlfriend to help me thought this time. I was going to get good at controlling this so I can protect more people out there.

After getting checked out, I gave Riley a piggyback ride to our room. I set her down on the bed and lay down next to her. I kept apologizing for throwing her off until she hit me and told me to shut it because it was ok and she didn't get hurt. I was still sorry but she just kissed me to shut me up about it. Soon Tabi came in with Jade at her side. And she fell onto the bed tired and sore. She crawled up to the pillow and cuddled into me. I smile at her and so did Riley. "Night moms" she said in a sleepy voice. I froze and looked up at Riley. She looks at me and smile and came closer to wrap her arm around us both. "Night Tabi" and she kissed her head. "Night mom number two" and laugh at my shocked face and went to sleep. Did she just call me mom? What, when did this happen? And how am I mom number two? I was here first! I calm down and smile at these two. These two who are my family. I wasn't going to let anything hurt them so I needed to get better at controlling my zombie mode. With everything going on and my body slowly healing I drift off to sleep and thought about how I just became a mom. I don't even think Tabi knew what she said but it was ok with me.

Waking up first Tabi was on top of Riley chest. I smile at the both and kiss them on the forehead. After getting ready Riley and Tabi were up. I kiss Riley morning and hugged Tabi. Tabi was taken back by that and I just smile at her. "You called us moms last night kid" I told her and she blushed. Her tan skin was getting a deep red and I just laugh at her. "It's ok kid, I can be whatever you want me to be" I told her. She look up at me with her light brown eyes then look to Riley who just smiles at her. "Ok mom" she mumbled out. I laugh and left the room.

I was in a good mood when I saw Claire. I follow her to the gym but this time instead of fighting we were going to do some yoga and mind shit. I didn't really get it but I was open to anything. "Alright, first off, we are going to do some yoga and breathing then rest then explore that head of yours" she said to me. I just nodded and copy the movements she did. Now I already know that Claire is hot as hell but today she was wearing basketball shorts and a tank that showed off her arms. She winks at me again when she saw me staring and I just continue to work out. After we were done with that we rested for a few minutes before she told me to lay down and just breath.

I did what I was told and lay down on the floor. "Alright, close your eyes and just breathe deeply" and I did what I was told. I started to relax. "Alright, I want you to think of the happiest memory and speak it, just don't see it, tell me without losing this state" Claire told me. I try to think of something that made me happy that wasn't new. Then it me. "When I made my first free throw. I was playing with my, well, step-cousin but we were like brother and sister. It was the summer of 2004 and I wanted to learn how to play our favorite sport, so I ask Jay to teach me. He was happy that I'd ask him to teach me. So on the next day we climb a gate and a fence to the court just to relax that it had a door. But that didn't stop us. He didn't start me off with anything easy. No layups, no nothing that me, this short ass nine year can do. So everyday we went to the single hoop and throw free throw after free thrown. My arms were always killing me by the end but it didn't stop me. Jay was there with me throwing me and I kept missing and getting air balls until one day the ball hit the rim. I was so happy that I was getting stronger and better at it. So I double my effort into it and a month later I made my first shot. I was so happy that I made it. I didn't stop and I made every shot I was so happy then he taught me how to play and everyday after that we did one on one until the day he was gone." I told her. I felt so much joy from that that my body began to burn. I shot up and felt my teeth grow and change.

I look at Claire and she just smile at me. "We found another trigger" she said and I just look at her. "Lay down again and relax" she told me and I did it. "This time I want you to tell me something that saddens you and say it out loud again" I did what I was told and relax my body and thought of a memory. "The last day I saw Jay was the last time we saw each other I win my first game. And I was so damn happy. But then the next day he was gone. He drowned and I blamed myself so much that I wanted to end my life." I felt my body get colder. I got up and whip the single tear the fell from my eyes. I didn't want to do this anymore but my zombie mode wasn't on anymore. "Ok, last time we are going to do this. Lay down and think of something that gets you beyond mad" said Claire and I told it. It did take long for something to come to mind. "When I was in high school I became a different person. I shut everyone out and lost myself. I did things that I never did. I was mad all the time and fought a lot in school but I was the best student, so I didn't get kick out because of it. But that wasn't enough for me, so I started fighting outside of school and found an underground ring. I fought almost every night there and won money until something happen. I was fighting this guy and he had someone with him. We were fighting and I was winning until he knocks me down. I block my face so my body took the hits. I was getting mad until the speaker said sudden death. If I didn't get up I was going to die. Part of me didn't want to get up but something in me made me get up and I knock him down and starting hitting him harder and harder until he stopped moving but he wasn't dead. I get up and walked out of the ring and never stepped back into it. But a week later the guy who ran the ring threw me into the back of his car. I try to fight it but he didn't let me, he wanted me to end that guy's life but I wouldn't. I ran from him and them but in the end I ended his life and I liked it. It fueled my rage and I didn't stop cage fighting and I did it." I said and got up with pain in my gut. I got up and felt the pain spread throughout my body. I grunt out of pain and I cough up blood.

Claire came rushing to my side and I push her away. I felt so much pain and my body started to get cold again. I took of my shirt and saw my body change. My body was changing again. My body fat started to go away and I felt my muscles getting bigger and I saw them show. Claire came to me and saw my body. "Damn, you're changing again" she said. "Yes, but it's not in a bad way" I said. Well, besides coughing up blood I felt fine and strong. Claire left me and I went to the rooftop. I wanted to be alone and think about my past.