in sickness

     The place is locked down when he lets the debris fall down, closing off the entrance. No one but he could open it back up. Avery was too weak to carry it. For now. He walks towards the lone lightbulb in the room and turns it on. The room is mostly bare, some things here and there, mostly left overs of the basement this used to be.

     In a chair in the middle, tied up and gagged, is a man. A man that took some time finding. But he’s Zeus. If he wants to find you, he will.

          “I think introductions are in order. One of you isn’t the same after all. Adam, this is Avery. Avery, this is your gift. “

       " This-- this is Adam? "

Really, they're not sure what they expected to see, though maybe  Adam was a bit much. Shifting almost uncomfortably, staring at him. They never thought on what Adam might look like compared to how he sounds, but that doesn't matter right now, does it? 

       " ..my gift? What am I supposed to do? "

                                                                                                 ( naivetiism )                   ❛ y-you’re not a walker…wh-who the hell are you? ❜ the boy                    shakily demanded, hands trembling as they aimed their gun at                    the  stranger.  experience  had  taught him to fear humans just                    as  much  as walkers themselves, and he wasn’t about to take                    his   chances   until  he  was  convinced  of  the  fact  that  this                    person meant no harm.                      

there's obvious fear in bright, lively blue eyes -- how ironic for something that isn't exactly.. 'alive', and never was. they stare at the gun, wondering whether they could take it or not. don't want to find out, personally. hands raise, slowly, making sure they aren't covered by the sleeves as per usual. they pose no threat, unless you touch them. then, it's free game, sort of. 

" i-- i'm avery, and i'm not going to hurt you. "

          It’s been a while since they’ve had the pleasure of interacting with someone           so unabashedly cheery, and though  they  should  be  infuriated  or  at  least           murderous,  they  cannot  bring  themselves  to  express  anything  but  mild           amusement. The other’s demeanour is refreshing,  a  welcome  change  from           angst and sadistic intent.

          Perfect stranger, smiling and bubbling over with benevolence and joy.  They           want to pick them apart and laugh as they do so, but  it’s  not an  urge but  a           faint pull, and so they smile back at the other instead, faint noises of derisive           mirth clawing at the back of their throat.

                                                   It shouldn’t be fair for someone to be so                                                    ignorant, yet so delightful.

         Rhapsodical  murmurs  of  carmine  waters  fill  their  mind,  and  for  a  foolish          moment, they wonder if they would  be  permitted  to  take  this  stranger  with          them. The thought is quickly forgotten —  it  would  be  especially  childish  of          them  to  cling  to  someone  so  quickly,  even  for  their  particular   brand   of          immaturity.

                     “Oh, ‘m sure he’d be just devastated …               But he’s got good reason t’ worry.                                 Mhehee, how ever will you stay safe if you can’t f i g h t ?”

     "Well -- it's a bit complicated."

Of course, they don't explain to just anyone. Not only that, but the virus doesn't understand completely either; information they're given is lost in their mind, unable to fully process it all on the spot. Still, they try, but to no avail. A childs mind, no better than that. 

     "Plus, I usually stay out of trouble.       Or, try to. If something happens I       usually just try to run and find him." 

          …And yet this person wasn’t even willing to touch Caesar. What, did my sleeve manage to sate the eyes on her hands’ curiosity? Okay, that was a bit more metaphorical than I though it’d be, but that really came with the position. Of course I thought like that.           “So…you have a name?”

With the question asked -- their favorite, at that! -- the grin on their face grows. They can now, finally, tell people they have a name. Not have to think of some idiotic reason as to why they don't. And so, the virus' attention turns to him once more.

     “Of course it’s better than nothing! Lord knows you need all the help you        can get, you ignorant, little, disease. Have you killed someone today like        you killed the kitty you touched?”

          "I-- no, I haven't! And that             was an accident." 

They remember perfectly well, the poor kitten. It hurt just as much -- if not more -- as knowing  he had used their strand to kill so many people. How they let him keep them in that run down cabin.

     “Well thank goodness you’re learning, I mean someone had to teach you not to be an ignorant, useless thing didn’t they?”

          "Better than nothing--!"

     They keep going like that, mostly unseen due to it being night time. And if someone saw them, who would point out a man and a child jumping from rooftop to rooftop? It doesn’t take long for feet to finally land on asphalt, cracking under his weight as he walks more serely to what seems like rubble.

     With one hand, he lifts the bigger piece, stairs visible to what seems like a basement.

           ”This way.”

Curious glances around the rubble, that smile remaining on their face. A bit of a skip in their step, quickly moving to walk under his arm. Down a few stairs before stopping, looking back to the larger virus before moving again. Humming as they go, hopping off the last step and onto the basements floor. Moving to the side, as to not be in his way, and scanning the room --

Not exactly what they expected.

          “C’mon. This way.”

     With a leap, he jumps from his spot to the building adjoined, knowing it can follow. They’ve already gone through her jumping. And with what he had in store, it’d learn how to be more vicious.

           ”Good job. Your prize is a few blocks away. But it’s all yours.”

           ”That’s one reason. What’s the other. Get it right and I’ll give you a prize.”

＂Ｓｔａｔｅ  ｙｏｕｒ  ｂｕｓｉｎｅｓｓ．  Ｗｈｙ  ｄｉｄ  ｙｏｕ  ｃｏｍｅ  ｈｅｒｅ？  Ｓｐｅａｋ．  Ｎｏｗ．＂

      he did not want anyone here,

      and he shall not hesitate to eliminate any

      living soul passing through.