ZOIW 12
Chapter 22: The Unleashing
---
The night that followed was filled with silence, the camp eerily quiet. Aura couldn't shake the feeling that she was on the edge of something darker—something beyond the fight with the zombies, beyond the strange power that surged through her veins. There was an insatiable hunger gnawing at her, deep inside. The bloodlust was overwhelming.
---
She sat in her tent, eyes closed, trying to steady her breathing. The wind howled outside, but it was the pounding in her chest that made her uneasy.
---
"What's happening to me?" Aura whispered into the darkness.
---
Her mind flashed back to the moment when the mutant had bitten her. The pain had been unbearable at first, but then... something else had taken over. A strange heat had bloomed from her core, and in an instant, everything had changed. Her body felt stronger, faster, almost untouchable.
---
But that hunger. That craving for blood.
---
Her eyes snapped open, and she clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. The dark, red glow of her eyes began to flicker to life, and she immediately forced herself to look away from the reflection in the mirror. The transformation—if it could even be called that—was still too new, too foreign. It scared her.
---
Outside, the others were trying to make sense of the situation, but it wasn't long before Aura felt a tug in her chest, an undeniable pull toward something. She needed to move.
---
With a burst of speed, Aura stood and rushed out of the tent. The night air hit her face, and she pushed herself faster, her feet barely touching the ground.
---
She couldn't explain it, but there was something—someone—she could smell. The metallic tang of blood. A distant noise in the dark. She moved toward it without thinking, her instincts fully in control now.
---
---
The camp was far behind her, and she was nearly out of the perimeter before her heightened senses caught the faintest trace of a figure in the shadows.
---
"Aura!"
---
It was Peter's voice, followed by a shout from Lila. She stopped cold, just before breaking the outer perimeter, as if some invisible force had grabbed her and yanked her back.
---
"Aura!" Lila's voice was desperate now, her footsteps closing in.
---
Aura turned slowly, her heart hammering in her chest. The crimson glow in her eyes was undeniable, bright and fierce, as though the very blood coursing through her veins was made of fire. Her hunger clawed at her again, but this time, it was different. It was no longer a vague craving; it was specific—destructive.
---
"Do you need to feed?" Lila asked cautiously, her sword still drawn. There was no fear in her voice, but there was concern.
---
Aura's gaze dropped to her hands, now trembling, as her body burned with an intense need. "I don't know," she said, her voice strained. "I feel... like I'm losing control."
---
"Let us help," Lila urged. "We can figure this out. Together."
---
Aura's eyes flickered to the horizon. In that moment, she didn't know if she could trust herself. She didn't know what she was becoming. But the hunger wouldn't let her stop.
---
The bloodlust, now raw and urgent, thrummed through her veins. She could hear the pulse of every living thing around her, their heartbeats resonating like a song she couldn't ignore. The sudden urge to hunt was unbearable, and she knew it wouldn't be long before it consumed her entirely.
---
"Aura...?" Peter's voice was full of warning as he approached cautiously, his hand resting on the rifle at his side.
---
She turned back to him, her breathing shallow. Her teeth clenched, a growl rising in her throat. She could feel it—the weight of the change. The temptation to let go and embrace the monster she was becoming. Her eyes flashed red as she struggled to fight the urge, the red glow lighting the surrounding shadows.
---
"I... I can't stop it," she said through gritted teeth. "It's too strong."
---
Peter moved closer, his rifle aimed at the ground, ready to defend if necessary. But there was something else in his eyes—something like understanding. He knew what it was like to be driven by something you couldn't control.
---
"You won't have to fight alone," Peter said, his voice steady. "We're here for you."
---
Aura's mind was a battleground. The pulse of the hunger called to her louder now, but in the back of her mind, she knew she had to fight it. If she let it take over, there was no telling what would happen. No telling how far she'd go.
---
The moment felt like an eternity. Aura's breath grew ragged as her eyes shifted back and forth between the camp and the overwhelming desire to break free. Then, something inside her clicked—a memory, a whisper of who she used to be before the bite, before the power.
---
With all the strength she had left, Aura took a deep breath and forced her eyes to return to normal, the crimson glow fading into the deep brown they had always been. She felt a brief, almost painful wave of relief as the bloodlust receded, but she also felt empty, drained, as though something vital had been taken from her in the process.
---
"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
---
Lila lowered her sword, the tension easing from her shoulders. "It's not your fault, Aura. You're changing. We just need to figure out how to control it."
---
"We will," Peter added, his voice softening. "But right now, we need to stick together more than ever."
---
Aura looked at them both, her heart heavy. The weight of what she had just almost done, the monster inside her that she had almost unleashed, sat heavily on her shoulders. She knew there was more to this transformation than she understood. She wasn't just dealing with the virus anymore; she was dealing with something far more dangerous, something that was changing her on a fundamental level.
---
"We need answers," she said finally, her voice firm. "And we need to get to the bottom of this. Fast."
---
Lila nodded. "Let's get back to the camp. We'll figure it out together."
---
As the three of them made their way back, Aura couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. She had gained power, but with it came a terrifying new burden. And she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep the monster inside her at bay.
---
To Be Continued...
Chapter 23: The Craving Unbound
---
Aura woke to a world that seemed unchanged, but to her, it was as though everything had shifted. The camp was still nestled in the same place it had always been, but the hunger—an insatiable, gnawing hunger—had only grown stronger. The bloodlust was a constant presence, lurking at the edge of her mind, always there, just waiting for a moment of weakness.
---
She stood on the edge of the camp, staring out into the distance. The forest loomed like a dark, impenetrable wall, but there was something else out there that called to her now—something more urgent than the distant shadows.
---
"Aura?"
---
She turned to see Lila approaching, her expression filled with concern but also a quiet understanding. Lila had seen the change in her—the strange, terrifying power that surged within her. She could tell that something wasn't right. The last few nights, Aura hadn't been herself. There had been times when she had nearly lost control, her eyes flashing red, her body trembling with the need to feed.
---
"How are you holding up?" Lila asked gently, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
---
Aura didn't answer immediately. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, her senses heightened beyond belief. The bloodlust pulsed, an unbearable force, and she could feel the pull of it more sharply than ever. But she had tried to resist. She had fought it off once before, but now... now it felt different.
---
"I don't know if I can hold on much longer," Aura admitted, her voice hoarse, as though speaking it made it all the more real. "The hunger... it's getting worse."
---
Lila's gaze softened. She didn't speak at first, allowing the weight of Aura's words to settle between them. Then, after a long pause, she nodded slowly.
---
"Have you tried... feeding? On the zombies, I mean?" Lila's tone was careful, as though she didn't want to push too hard but knew it was an option they couldn't ignore.
---
Aura stiffened at the suggestion. "You want me to feed on the undead? What kind of person would I be then?"
---
"The kind who's still alive," Lila answered quietly. "This power inside you, Aura, it's not going to go away on its own. You need to figure out how to control it, how to use it. And maybe... maybe taking the blood will help you stay in control."
---
Aura's eyes burned with frustration. She had always fought for control, but now, she felt like she was losing a battle she hadn't even signed up for. Her body was changing, evolving, and with each passing moment, she felt less and less like herself.
---
"I can't," Aura said, shaking her head. "I can't become like them. If I start... if I start using their blood to satisfy this... craving, I don't know what I'll become."
---
Lila placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We're not asking you to become a monster. We're asking you to survive."
---
Aura swallowed hard. There was truth in Lila's words, even if it was something she didn't want to face. The hunger inside her wasn't just a passing feeling. It was becoming her reality, and she was starting to realize that the only way to keep her humanity intact was to embrace this darker side of herself.
---
After a long, heavy silence, Aura nodded. "Alright. I'll do it. But I need to be careful. I don't want to lose myself in this."
---
"Take it one step at a time," Lila said, her voice steady. "We'll be with you every step of the way."
---
---
The next day, Aura and Lila ventured outside the camp, toward the edge of the forest, where they knew they might find a few straggling zombies. The scent of decay was thick in the air, the atmosphere heavy with the weight of their task. Every step Aura took felt like a battle against her own instincts. The closer they got to the infected, the sharper the hunger became.
---
They found their first zombie within minutes, dragging itself along the forest floor, its mindless groans barely audible. Aura's eyes narrowed as she approached, her heart pounding in her chest. Lila stood at the ready, her sword in hand, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
---
Aura reached for the blade strapped to her side, her fingers trembling slightly. The sight of the zombie—a grotesque, twisted version of the humanity it once was—was enough to send a spike of revulsion through her. But it was also the key to quenching the hunger.
---
With a swift motion, she lunged forward, her sword plunging into the zombie's skull. It dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, and she quickly knelt beside it, her hands shaking as she reached into its exposed flesh. She hesitated for just a moment, then pressed her lips to the wound, sucking the thick, blood-like fluid from its body.
---
The moment the blood hit her tongue, a wave of relief washed over her. The hunger, the burning ache that had been clawing at her from the inside, began to subside. Her senses felt clearer, sharper, and for a brief moment, she felt like herself again.
---
But it wasn't enough. The hunger had subsided, but it lingered, just beneath the surface, always waiting.
---
Lila watched with a mix of concern and understanding. "How do you feel?"
---
Aura stood slowly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Better... for now," she admitted, but there was a haunted look in her eyes. "But this... it's not enough. I need more."
---
"You won't know until you try," Lila said. "You can't stop now. You need to find control over this hunger."
---
Aura nodded, her jaw set in determination. The more blood she took, the more powerful she felt. But with that power came a risk. She could feel herself slipping further and further from the person she once was, and it terrified her.
---
"I'll keep going," Aura said, her voice low and steady. "But I need to find a way to stop this... before it consumes me completely."
---
As they moved deeper into the woods, searching for more zombies to feed on, Aura couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking a fine line. Every time she gave in to the craving, she was one step closer to becoming something she couldn't control. But for now, it was the only way to survive.
---
To Be Continued...