The forest was thick with tension, the air heavy with the scent of sweat, fear, and decay. Bill’s moans cut through the silence, his body slumped over Paul’s shoulders, his skin pale and slick with sweat, his breath shallow and uneven. His leg was swollen, the flesh around the bite already blackening, the sll of infection thick in the air.
Hailey clutched her father’s arm, her face white with worry, her eyes darting between Bill and the path ahead, her lips trembling.
Lisa leaned in, her voice a low whisper in my ear, her breath hot against my skin. "Boss... we also have antivenom in our vehicle."
I nodded, my gaze locked on Paul as he struggled under Bill’s weight, his muscles straining, his breath labored. The doctor turned to , his face desperate, his voice strained.
"Hey... Dexter..." He paused, swallowing hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "I need your help." His eyes pleaded, exhausted, broken. "You’re the only man here other than ... We need to take turns carrying Bill back to the base."
I smiled, my expression mocking, cold, amused. "Oh... Doctor..." I chuckled, shaking my head, my tone light but dripping with contempt. "Are you looking down on won?" My voice was smooth, but my eyes were sharp, unforgiving.
"Don’t forget, we all ca from a society that preaches gender equality." I spread my hands, innocent, taunting. "And why should I help you?" I leaned in, my smile twisting. "What’s in it for ?"
Mira’s face twisted in rage, her voice sharp, venomous, cutting through the air like a knife. "YOU—!" She stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles white. "You heartless bastard!" Her voice trembled with fury, her eyes burning into .
"We don’t need your help!" She grabbed Bill’s arm, trying to pull him toward her, her voice breaking with desperation. "I can carry my son myself!" Her breath ca in short gasps, her chest heaving, her face flushed with anger and fear.
I chuckled, shaking my head, my smile dark, amused, cruel. "Yeah, go ahead, Mira." My tone was mocking, almost sympathetic. "But look at him." I gestured to Bill, his leg swollen, blackened, and oozing seepage from the wound, the sll of rotting flesh thick in the air.
"He’s already half-dead." I shrugged, my voice cold, final. "My suggestion?" I paused, my eyes locking onto hers, unblinking, unyielding. "Bury him here," I smirked, my tone razor-sharp. "Save yourself the trouble."
Nicole’s voice cracked, her eyes wide, disbelieving, horrified. "How can you say that?!" She stepped forward, her hands trembling, her face pale with shock. "He’s my brother!" Her voice broke, her eyes welling with tears. "You monster!"
I turned to her, my smile razor-sharp, unyielding, cruel. "Oh, Nicole..." I mocked, my voice dripping with false sympathy. "Look at his wound." I gestured to Bill’s leg, the flesh already rotting, the sll of death clinging to him. "It’s infected." I shrugged, my tone mocking, clinical.
"I doubt antivenom will work now." I leaned in, my voice dropping to a whisper, cold, final. "And if you really want him to survive?" I paused, my eyes gleaming, cruel. "Cut off his leg." My smile twisted, dark, amused.
"But there’s no facility..." I shrugged, my voice cold, unyielding. "Even if we hack it off with a knife... he’ll bleed out before we get him back." My gaze snapped to Paul, my tone dripping with contempt, mocking.
"You’re a doctor, right, Paul?" I laughed, the sound dark, amused. "Why are you giving them false hope?" I shrugged, my smile cruel, final. "You know he’s a dead man walking."
Paul’s face darkened, his grip on Bill tightening, his knuckles white. "You’re sick," he hissed, his voice low, venomous, trembling with rage. "You enjoy this, don’t you?" His eyes burned into , accusing, disgusted. "You get off on watching people suffer!"
I laughed, the sound dark, mocking, amused. "Oh, Paul..." I shrugged, my smile twisting, cruel. "I don’t enjoy it." I leaned in, my voice dropping to a whisper, cold, final. "I accept it." My eyes swept over the group, lingering on Mira’s tear-streaked face, Nicole’s horrified expression, and Paul’s furious glare.
"This is reality," I said, my voice cold, unyielding. "Out here, the weak die." I spread my hands, mocking, final. "And Bill?" I shrugged, my smile cruel. "He was always weak."
Mira’s face twisted in rage, her voice a snarl. "You bastard!" She stepped forward, her finger jabbing into my chest, her eyes burning with hatred. "I swear to God, if my son dies—"
I cut her off, my voice cold, final, unyielding. "He’s already dead, Mira." My eyes locked onto hers, cold, mocking. "You’re just too stupid to see it."
Nicole let out a choked sob, her hands clutching her face, her body shaking. "You’re evil," she whispered, her voice broken, horrified.
The forest was silent, the only sounds the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds. Bill’s body hung limp over Paul’s shoulders, his breath shallow, his skin pale and clammy. The air was thick with tension, the weight of desperation pressing down on all of us like a physical force.
Hailey stepped closer to her father, her voice shaking but firm. "Dad, let’s go." She glared at , her eyes burning with contempt. "We don’t have to pay attention to this bastard."
Paul nodded, his jaw clenched, his grip on Bill tightening. Without another word, he turned and started walking back the way we ca, Bill’s limp body bouncing slightly with each step.
I watched them go, my smirk never fading. Then, I turned to Mira and the others, who were moving away, their shoulders hunched, their faces twisted with fear and anger.
"I can save your son..." I called out, my voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "And I also have antivenom with ..."
Mira froze, her back stiffening. She turned slowly, her eyes narrowed, her face a mix of hope and disgust. Nicole nudged her, her voice a hiss. "Mom... he’s talking nonsense... don’t listen to him..."
I chuckled, my smile dark, amused. "Yeah, it’s your choice..."
Mira stepped forward, her voice trembling but defiant. "If you have antivenom... give it to ..."
I laughed, the sound cold, mocking. "Why should I?" I tilted my head, my eyes raking over her, lingering on her curves, her face flushed with anger. "Just because you’re beautiful?" I chuckled, my voice dripping with mockery. "Oh, Mira... you think that’s enough?"
Mira’s face flushed deeper, her hands clenching into fists. "You—!"
I cut her off, my voice smooth, dangerous. "If you want the antivenom..." I paused, my smile twisting, my eyes gleaming with amusent. "You have to give sothing in exchange..."
Mira’s eyes flashed, her voice sharp, venomous. "We’ll give you our food supplies... whatever we get today..."
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