A/N: This is a preview from somewhere in the middle of my story. I have yet to write the start, I have yet to write the end. To sum things up, it's a spoiler, a preview of my future great piece of work! Plus, I miss updating all the time. So here's some new work!

Combust.

By Alice B. Black

The blood in the vile turned to a dark shade of green. The red liquid was bubbling, the chemicals added make steam. When the clouds disappeared all that remained was the green liquid. All the blood was turning green, no one was infected. I didn’t understand why this was happening, I hadn’t even heard of one person with this deadly disease. People from the school stood in lines sorted by last name and all the lines moved quickly.

Each long table had several people working at it, all of them aliens. Most looked like us, the only difference their clothing and tattoos; however, there were ones who were tall and abnormal. These creatures were covered in scales, their skin a pale blue. In place of their nose they instead had a third eye. When one looked in my direction I would shudder. They were different, disturbing. I wanted nothing more than to go back two weeks and pretend that everything was how it was supposed to be.

The people in line behind me were talking quietly. Pausing in my frantic thoughts I listened, my mind wavering as the whispers sent fear into my veins. Something wasn’t right, I could feel it. Why did they need to test everyone? When was the truth going to come free?

“My father works for the Congressman, they were speaking about this in my living room,” one of the girls spoke. She was staring frantically at the table. “Apparently, this is a lot bigger than they’re letting on. If they don’t find anyone with the matching disease the outbreak could happen any moment. Once it starts, it won’t stop.”

All the girls around her gasped, afraid of what was to come. Armageddon really did come, only it most likely was caused by mankind’s creation of the super virus, immune to all vaccines.

One of the blue scaled creatures got up on a chair, a megaphone in hand. “I would like your attention please, keep in an orderly fashion and everything will move faster. Keep your yellow card with you at all times, after being tested you will receive a stamp of verification that you are not infected. Take this to one of our people sitting behind the computer database and then you will be released.”

No one dared to talk when one of them made an announcement. There was fear. What if the next time they got up to make an announcement it was that there was someone infected in the very room? None of us would be allowed to leave; we’d all be dead in a moment.

My feet were in honey, they moved slowly with the line. I was just a worker bee, a mindless drone. Looking up through my bangs I stared at the man with the gun by the door. His blue hair startled me, he wasn’t human. Was it me or was my heart growing louder? Breathing I stood there watching this man with a gun. What need was there for such a thing unless they planned to kill someone.

I was getting closer now. I could smell the blood, the sterile environment. My stomach was churning; I could make butter at this rate. If my heart didn’t stop beating so wildly I could just drop to the floor and die. There was a girl crying, her arm bleeding from where she was pricked.

I hated needles, I couldn’t stand the thought. They would break my skin to put that long silver needle inside me, the metal mixing with blood and flesh.

The same blue scaled creature got up to make the same announcement. Everyone held their breaths as they listened to the same message. The world was moving slowly, the world was ending. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move. Were these people here to save us? Would they fly us away to some other world?

It was almost my turn. I was almost there, and then I could leave. They would find nothing wrong with me and I would be released into the real world again. Everything would be fine. Everything would go back to normal. There would be no outbreak, there would be no Armageddon.

Three more people and it would be my turn. I watched with frightened eyes as they took the blood of a boy I didn’t even know. He didn’t even flinch as the needle went in; the blood flowed slowly out of him as the woman next to him pulled it out. Again, the blood boiled into a green color and he was free to go. I was like a deer caught in the head lights, my feet frozen to the floor. Time had frozen but I had to remember to breathe.

“Miss?” The woman in white sat with a needle in her hand. The tattoos on her face made it apparent she was one of them. If it weren’t for the strange purple tribal markings I would have thought she was a nurse from the local clinic. She patted the seat next to her, a smile on her face. “You’re up.”

Shaking, I nodded and took my seat. Looking around I noticed the line I was just in. No one else looked as sick as I felt, they looked normal. They could have been standing in line for football tickets, but the underlining sense of fear held back the electricity which the room would hold with so many people.

I barely felt the needle, it slipped into my arm with ease. My face made no emotion. “Don’t forget to breathe Miss.” The woman was smiling as she pulled the needle out, the metal slick as it slipped out. She tossed the needle away and took the vile of red blood in the palm of her hand. Watching with wide eyes I saw the chemicals mixed in. They boiled together, the chemical reaction going wild. She set it to the side with the rest as she began to stamp my paperwork.

Blue. That’s the only color I could think of. Everything was blue. The reaction was yet to finish but I could already see the results. My breath was stalled, I thought I would faint. My eyes flashed back to the man with the gun, his eyes meeting mine with no emotion.

Tossing back my head I took in a staggered breath. I had to break free. My hand found the yellow paper and I stumbled off the chair, my feet swaying. How I wish they would not betray me! I held the paper tight in my hand as I watched the woman call the next person in line. She was so busy with the work that she had failed to notice the difference in the vile. They were all lined up in a row, mine being the only oddity of the group.

Holding my head high I walked forward. I couldn’t run out the back, there were too many people. It wouldn’t be long; all they had to do was enter my name into their database. I’d be clear. Maybe the blue was normal, an oddity for rare blood types. Staring forward I watched as the room began to spin.

“Miss?” They were talking to me. A group of them were circling in on me, I needed out. “Are you alright?”

Shaking my head I waved them off. I had to get out, I had to get away. “Air,” I gasped, my voice shaking. It wasn’t just my voice, my legs, my hands, they were all shaking.

One of them was touching me, their hands on my back. “Come along Miss. We will check you out up here and then get you your air.” One of them was mumbling something about humans. They were guiding me forward, skipping the lines. They directed me right past the man with the gun. He eyed me with caution, his dead eyes locked with mine.

The room was going in circles; I was sitting on the second hand of a clock, the ticking driving me insane. They sat me down at one of the computers taking my yellow card. I turned to watch the people, their fates being decided by their blood. That man, the one who held the gun, was now at my check station. He was speaking with the woman who tested my blood, his face twisted in anger. Both of them were looking at me, the man with the gun pointing at me wildly.

The room was silent. Everyone watched them with fear. And then my heart stopped. The man picked up the blue vile and threw it to the ground, the glass shattering across the floor. The liquid pooled in the shards, the blue color evident against the wood. His long arm stretched towards me, his finger pointing me out.

Whether it was the gun, the wild thumping noise in my ear, or the sheer fear of what was wrong with me, I wasn’t sure but I ran. I stood, my feet throwing my body forward and my body was sprawled on the floor. The chair screeched backward, it toppling over as well. In an instant, I raised myself back up and was out the doors running full force. I was scared, my breath coming in hard gasps.

Behind me the doors flew open, loud bangs hitting the air as they slammed against the back wall. They were screaming at me, ordering me to stop. Instead I closed my eyes and prayed that I could get to my car fast enough.

A shot erupted behind me, the crack splitting through the air. I was relieved to feel no pain, they had missed that time. Now in the parking lot I ran in between the cars, the metal objects creating a temporary shield.

Next to me a window shattered, my instinct was to scream but when I took in the breath I couldn’t force it out. The man with the gun was standing several yards away with his pistol aimed at me. Swallowing my fear I dropped to my hands and feet, crawling towards the next isle over. I had to be close to my car, in the panic I did not pay much attention to my surroundings.

Windows above me shattered, he must have gotten a new clip recently, and he was firing too many bullets. The pounding had yet to cease, my ears were about to explode. I was praying to God frantically, to anyone out there that would listen to my cries, I wanted to live.

Looking up I noticed the street light that showed the division of rows. I’d be safe; I could find my car from this point. Slowly, I brought up my body; I peeked through the tinted windows of a small car. Sure enough I could see several of my pursuers behind me, now searching between the cars. The only one headed in my direction was the man with the gun, which was still raised in my direction.

My mind was screaming at me to run, but surely if I did such a thing he would spot me instantly. My legs were already tired from my sprint to the parking lot, could I last long enough to find my car. There was no doubt that he was faster, he would outrun me if I couldn’t find my car quick enough as well. My mind was reeling thousands of thoughts as one second passed.

I stopped for one second to think, to ask myself if running was right. If I was indeed infected, would I kill humanity? If I lived and got away, how long would I last? And how many would have to suffer from my selfish nature? My finger was on the detonator for the nuclear bomb, once I ran I would set it off. But I would live, I would save my life.

A rain of glass scattered around my head and I ran. These men were not human, what did they know. I had rights, I had rights to live. Running, that’s all I could do. I was running from the situation, my fears, the fate of everyone else but me. The glass was everywhere but I couldn’t focus on the pain, the blood was everywhere. Tiny shards were stuck in the palms of my hands.

Taking my keys in one hand I stood to my full height. Scared, I ran as fast as I could. Bullets were rushing past me, every one missing me by inches. This guy was not a horrible shot, he was missing on purpose. I don’t know why he didn’t want me dead, but I didn’t want to stop and meet him face to face to talk about it.

My car, I could see it sitting where I had parked it earlier this morning. The black paint glittered in the sun. This was it, this was my freedom and it came on four wheels with twenty two miles to the gallon. Breathing hard I dashed the last distance down the row of cars, my lungs burning from the fire.

I slipped into the driver’s seat quickly, no time for seat belts. The key was in the ignition and I had the car into reverse backing out as quickly as I could. I could see a crowd gathering around the parking lot, staying their distance from the crazed gunman. My foot was heavy, the car going fast to find an exit. They were everywhere. They watched me, some laughing at my attempts.

A bang erupted and the car shook. At first I didn’t know what he had shot, and then the car tilted to the left. He was taking out the tires. A second shot alerted me of my back left tire going out as well. Now I would not make it far, I had to breathe to keep my heart steady. With both hands on the wheel, I drove out of the parking lot. A new shower of glass erupted around me as he shot another bullet but that couldn’t stop me.

My car was shooting forward as though it were an arrow, straight and true. The road was long but I could see the stop lights at the end. A right there, two more left turns and I could make it to the interstate. I wouldn’t last five minutes with my car in its current condition on the interstate, I was kidding myself. No, I’d have to steal a car.

A loud thump roared overhead my car. My eyes were wide as I stared in the rearview mirror. Did I hit someone in my panic? Watching, I saw no face, no body lying in the middle of the road. I had no idea of what the noise was, but they were gone. I could no longer spy any of my pursuers. I was afraid, it was too easy. I half expected to be on the evening news as I made my way to the Mexican border.

The traffic lights were red and I stopped. My heart was still beating a thousand miles a minute but I could finally breathe. The air felt good, relaxing. But what do I do now? I had not thought this far ahead, I was only running on instinct. My fire was only embers now, the pain in my legs subsiding.

The car shook with force and I screamed, the whole world around me crumbling. Throwing the car into park I got out, the ground still shaking. The buildings were swaying from side to side, tree branches whipping back and forth. I held my hair down with one bloody hand as I stared forward. I was surrounded, the gun to my head.

“You see, there is nowhere to run. Are you tired of wasting my bullets?” The cold steel against the back of my neck sent an electric current down my spine, the nerves tingling with fear. This was the end. The hurricane speed winds died down, the earthquake settling. With wide eyes I stared at the ship before me. The blue lights were blinding, lighting up everything around us in this haze.

Closing my eyes I whimpered quietly. He wouldn’t shoot, I kept promising myself he wouldn’t shoot. “What,” my breath was shaky as I spoke in my broken voice, “Are you going to do to me? Are you going to kill me?”

He sighed, cocking his gun. “Do you want me to kill you?”

“God, no.” My cries were louder. I stayed still, my body a statue.

“Just sit tight princess,” he sneered, pressing the gun closer to my neck if that was even possible. His hands were steady; he knew exactly what he was doing. “They will be here soon to take you away.”

My mind went over everything I knew about self defense. On the news there are stories about all these women who are battered, who are abused; I am not one of them. Adjusting myself, I eased my knees ready for action. It was only me and this man with a gun, the ship before us would cause trouble in my fleeing but I could work around it.

In a rush of adrenaline, I threw my arm back while moving away from the gun. My fist landed on his cheek, the face folding together around the spot of impact. His eyes were dazed, the amber color meeting my own gray eyes. Before he could react I kicked him in his groin sending him into a half crouch and I turned to run. However, his hand grasped my hair yanking me down to the pavement. My head made a sickening crack against the black road.

My eyes were watering, the pain unbearable. Now to add onto my list of problems was the possible concussion. Closing my eyes, I considered playing dead. My wild heart would give me away, the traitor.

“Fuck,” he muttered, I could feel his breath on my neck. His hands were gloved; they now held my head as he examined the damage he had done. My eyes were closed, my body playing possum. He smelled strange, an unknown wildflower in a distant field. He tapped my cheek with his right hand, his voice rough with an underlying sense of worry. “Wake up princess, can’t have you dead.”

Cracking my eyes, I stared up into his amber ones. They sparkled in the haze of the lights from the ship. “Go away,” I cried.

He stared down at me, his hands brushing the hair away from my face. “Don’t fall asleep; we can’t have you falling into a concussion either.”

“What’s the point? I’m going to die anyway,” I cried. The tears fell freely, the moisture mixing with blood that dripped from the tiny cuts which now covered my body.

He set my head down, but it was not the hard pavement as before. I opened my eyes to see him without his military like jacket. Good, I thought darkly to myself, let me bleed over his clothing before I die. His fingers were prodding my body, examining the deeper cuts and pulling out the large shards of glass.

If I could stand I could run. Breathing hard I struggled to sit up, but he placed his hand on my chest holding me down. Whimpering in pain, I closed my eyes. My head was fuzzy, everything was blurring together. “Open your eyes,” he commanded, his hand tapping my cheeks again.

“Captain Lefault, how is she?” spoke a new voice, a new person. Struggling to open my eyes, I only could see those beautiful amber eyes. They had captured me, my mind was blank, and the pain was gone. I was numb. “Lift her head; I want to see the wound.”

I was floating on air. He held me to his chest; I was in the field of wildflowers. There was nothing around me but these wonderful creations, the scent filling my mind. “It’s bruised but it will heal. I hope in future situations you won’t be so careless with her life Captain or else it may be your head.”

“Would you rather I let her run away next time? Who knows what would happen to her if we let her go,” the man snarled. He held me tight to his chest crushing my meadow. My arms were heavy, I left them limp to my sides; the weight of my hands too much to hold up. “Princess, look at me.” He took my chin, lifting my face to meet his. “Stay with me.”

“Captain, the car will be here in five minutes.”

His eyes were memorizing, I was swimming in pools of caramel. “We should just take her to my ship, I have a medical staff.”

New hands were on me, my body being tugged away from my meadow. My head was limp; I was staring into a new face. Green eyes and blue skin stared down at me, the smile gentle. “I will not allow those men near her; she’s too precious to waste on common hands, a diamond in a world of stone.”

“Duke, if you mean what you imply then I will cut our contract and leave you and your people without any offensive ships for your return voyage. All you’ll be left with then is a pile of stardust.”

The face above me did not look happy. “I apologize for my rude behavior, but you must understand, we cannot let her into the wrong hands. I do not know these people, I cannot trust them.” The strange blue face was no longer focusing on me. My legs were numb, I could barely move. My eyes were closed, my world was dark. There was nothing, the abyss covering me whole.

“She’s slipping.”

“Tell them to hurry.”

“Princess, stay with me. Come on princess, look at me.”

And I’m gone; I’m halfway to Reno with a pocket full of money. Johnny Cash is playing over and over again in my mind, the music luring me into a deeper spot of this abyss. The walls vibrate with every steady intake of air, my hushed thud of the heart.

The sound of beeping disturbed my rest, the constant sound replacing my pounding heart. With a death breath I opened my left eye cautiously. It felt like I was alive, the air smelled fresh and sterile. The beeping was constant, my arms were wrapped in wires and everything was white. My body was tired, my body thriving with pain.

Sitting up is a task near impossible. My arms are still weak but I curl my fingers around the sides of the bed and pull my chest up. The muscles in my back are on fire, stiff. Who knows how long I was out, it could have been weeks. Silent as the walls that enclose me, I climb out of bed careful of the machines. The wires are connected to only one, I tug it along with me as I inch towards the wood door. My feet are bare, slipping on the floor. My pace is that of an infant taking their first step, every one easier than the last.

The door holds a small square window with lace curtains. My face is hidden as I stare through the sheer fabric and I can see them all waiting out in the hall. From the appearance of the hall and nurses station I can deem this to be a regular hospital, nothing out of the ordinary. Escape is impossible, the only exit of the room being the heavily guarded door.

My feet glided me back to the hospital bed. Sitting on the edge I toyed with the cords, I knew that it would hurt if I didn’t pull them out right. I could rip the skin and make a big mess. Closing my eyes I took one deep breath, my fingers tightened around one and I took one look at it to make sure I’d pull it out straight and I did just that. Gasping, I let out a strangled cry. The skin ripped backward slightly, my hands tugging up at last moment.

The machine next to me suddenly went flat, the dead line sounding off a quiet alarm. Almost immediately the room was filled with men in white coats, nurses with charts, and one blue haired man now without his gun. He looked amused, his eyes gleaming with pleasure from the circus show.

“She’s awake!” one doctor exclaimed. He was smiling; his hands played with the machine with the dead tone, while another doctor examined my now bleeding hand. “Such an amazing recovery, this one’s a trooper. Santara, I want you to measure her blood pressure and run a physical as soon as she seems fit. Goodman, I need you to inform the Duke of her condition now; they will want to arrange their meeting with the UN as soon as possible.”

The doctor who was shooting off orders kneeled before me; in his hand was a new needle. “Such a little minx,” he praised. He took my free hand, his fingers prodding the skin. “We’ll have to put this back in for just a little longer, and once you’re as fit as an ox I promise I will take it out.”

“No,” I whispered with my scratchy voice. Pulling back my hand, I hid it behind my back as though I were a child.

“Come on princess, it’s only a needle.” The cocky man was watching me. He stood against the wall with his hands shoved into his military like jacket. The blue coat reached his waist, decorated in blue lining, and the collar was wrapped firmly around his neck.

Frowning, I ignored him and continued to hide my hand. The doctor sighed, scratching his head. “It’s only an IV, it’s for nutrition. I promise it will make you feel better, and it is far faster than the human body can recover on its own.”

“Just take it.” The blue haired man pushed away from the wall, with every step coming closer to me. Looking down I hid my face, my eyes would show how afraid I was. He sat beside me and tucked my hair behind my ears so he could see my face. We gazed at one another, his inhumanity was apparent. There was no emotion in those amber pools.

He took my hand that was hidden behind my back and held in front of me. “No!” I struggled against his grasp, his hands locked firmly around my wrist. I couldn’t pull away. Shaking my head, I thrashed against his hold.

“Nurse,” the doctor spoke softly, “Get a sedative.”

“Princess,” the man spoke quietly, his grasp lightening. “If you settle down nothing bad will happen, but if you don’t stop acting like a five year old these people are going to pump you full of drugs. Do you want that?”

He released my arm and I clutched it tightly to my chest. “No,” I whimpered, fearful of everything around me. Everyone was watching me, waiting for my next move. Looking at those amber eyes I closed my eyes and held out my arm. There was a pinch on the backside of my hand as he inserted the needle.

“All done.” Peeking through my eye lashes I watched him turn away, his hands busy packing away his medical supplies. All the doctors were leaving, no one caring about me or my problems. All these people were working for my enemy, what good could they do to me?

They left as quickly as they came and I was again left with the empty white walls. I lay back in my bed, resting my head on the white pillow. Turning my head, I examined the man who remained. His blue feathered hair stood out in the white room, the electric color a fascination to my eyes. His clothing, normal at first glance, has their style in a very subtle way. The dark blue color of the jacket only enhances the color of his hair.

My feet brush against his body as I try to get comfortable, when he doesn’t move I reach for the remote. The television, which hangs from the ceiling at the foot of my bed, airs mostly news channels these days. Everyone wants to be updated on the current situation. Eighty percent of the earth population is still waiting for the aliens to start abducting us and make Independence Day end the way the aliens wanted it to.

Flipping through the stations I land on one of the few things that are not related to my current situation, cartoons. Tom and Jerry, such a simple cartoon; the cat never did catch that mouse. I never did like Jerry; he always got away, that doesn’t seem fair.

“Princess?”

I cock my head to the side, staring at him. He hasn’t moved still, he’s facing the wall adjacent to the television so I cannot see his face. My eyes scan his profile, I can’t see a gun anywhere on him but I still am wary. “Yes?”

His shoulders stiffen and his hands tighten. “They told me I’m to apologize; I should not have shot at you before.” It meant nothing unless it came from him, but I wasn’t about to argue with a man who had shot at me before, I was sure he’d do it again if the opportunity presented itself.

“What’s your name?”

He shrugged his shoulders and turned to look at the television. “They have something like this on my home world. The children are fascinated by these pictures, though ours do not have your earth animals.”

“What’s going to happen to me?”

He stood, turning the television set off. His hands were gloved, the black fabric stretching over the knuckles. “You should get some sleep.” Without another word the man left the room, closing the door securely behind him.

Leaning back I stared at the ceiling, my head beginning to throb. They had to have given me pain medication before; I would have noticed it otherwise. Rolling my head to the left, I frowned. The least they could have done was given me a room with a window.

Sitting up I examined the bedside table, the phone sitting there like a light in the dark. My eyes darted to the door, no one was there. Chances were no one would check on me for at least five minutes. Grasping the receiver I held it to my face, the dial tone could have as well been a chorus of angels.

My fingers pounded in the numbers from memory and when the rings met my ear I nearly began to cry. Smiling, I held my breath as the phone ringed, waiting for a voice. “Hello-“

“Who said you could make a phone call?” My blue haired menace was staring at me from his position in the doorway, a cup in his hands. “Hang up.”

“Hello? Gwen, is that you? Where are you? They won’t tell us, are you okay?” My father was frantic, his voice filled with worry and concern. I wanted him with me; I wanted him to sit with me instead of this lethal maniac.

Shaking my head, I clutched the phone. “Daddy,” I cried. The phone was ripped from me and slammed to the end table. The man was ripping it from the wall, the cord breaking as he tugged on the cords. He was cursing as he picked up the remains, throwing them in the trash.

His eyes were wild, he was looking at me now. The narrow slits flashed signs of danger, a tiger stalking it’s prey. “Stunts like that are not allowed. All will be explained in due time, the Duke is on his way here as we speak and then I will be done babysitting you. Until then, we are going to sit here and be quiet.”

He lifted the cup which he had brought back with him. “I got you ice chips for your fever.”

“Fuck off,” I muttered, crawling under the blankets to hide from him.