Chapter Text
Lance was only eight years old when the infection was made public to the people of the world. He remembered very vividly where he was; playing in the back garden with his favourite blue collared cat Azura, watching her run around chasing after his remote-controlled car that his father had bought him for his birthday a few days before. The sun was hot on his skin, as Lance couldn’t help but dread that his summer holiday was coming to an end, starting school sooner than he would have liked. He remembered how blue the sky was, the odd clouds dotted across the summer canvas above him. It was a lovely day – not a perfect, but it was far better than his average day.
“Lance, it’s time for lunch.” He heard a voice call. He looked up with a frown as his sister approached him and crouched beside him on the grass, her long hair gently fluttering in the sudden breeze, dressed in a flowery shirt and denim shorts.
“Did you cook?” Lance asked hopefully, as he wasn’t a fan of their father’s disastrous cooking. He was grateful that his sister was talented in several ways, cooking being one of them. His sister laughed and nodded at him, eyebrow raised at him as if judging his question ever so slightly.
“Do you even remember the last time dad tried to cook something while he was at work? You think I’ll let him anywhere near that kitchen while I’m still here?” His sister replied. Lance furrowed his brow at her, thinking furiously.
“Yeah, but who’s gonna cook when you go away to England?” He asked, as he and Azura followed his sister inside and into the kitchen diner. The room was pure white but subtle hints of blue in the curtains and the tablecloth on the dining table. He knew that it wasn’t long until his sister would be leaving for university, so she had been ensuring to spend as much time as she could with him while she was still at home. Lance couldn’t remember where she was going, but it was a fancy, super smart place for super smart people. Lance thought his sister was too clever for the university anyway.
“I’m sure Azura could pick up a few tricks. Isn’t that right, hmm?” She asked Azura with a slight chuckle, scratching her under the chin and smiling as Azura purred with content. Azura was a pretty looking cat, jet black with the brightest blue eyes that could melt the iciest of hearts.
“Can I have mayo on my wrap, please?”
“Of course, Lance.” She replied cheerily, as Lance sat at the dining table, watching his sister finish off the rest of the food.
“The following message is an emergency broadcast.” A voice from the radio said, robotic and calm. Lance tilted his head at the radio, confused as to what could be so important to interrupt his favourite song?
“Reports are coming in of an infection that changes individual into something belonging to the living dead....” Lance found himself fascinated, thinking back to a game that he was watching some person play on the internet. His sister turned her head to the radio, a frown on her face.
“…back as far as three days, sightings of what seem to be corpses aimlessly wandering streets and biting unexpected citizens. although scientists have not confirmed this, it is possible that being bitten exposes you to the risk of-”
His sister switched the radio off sharply, glaring at it slightly as though it offended her. Lance frowned at her.
“Hey!” He exclaimed. His sister rolled her eyes at him, ruffling his hair gently and setting the plate of food in front of him. Lance was easily distracted by the scent of butter fried chicken with all sorts of spices. He began to tuck in, his stomach growling in anticipation, then satisfaction.
“Your small ears don’t need to hear this.” His sister stated in a matter of fact tone, looking out the back window with a deeply concentrated expression.
“Where the hell is dad? He should be home by now.” Lance’s sister murmured, pacing back and forth in front of the television. It was dark outside, and there was an unsettling atmosphere not just in the house, but throughout the entirety of the neighbourhood. When Lance went over to the family next door to play with his friend, he was upset to find that the house was suddenly deserted. People that were walking the street looked either panicked, distressed, or extremely exhausted. It was more of a concern that by this time their father would be home by now, and would be sitting with them and watching a show or reading a story to Lance with his sister listening in as she would study from her books.
“Do you think he’s okay?” Lance asked nervously. His sister looked down at him, looking startled and then smiled as she nodded. And then there was a click of a lock and the front door being open. Lance bounced off the sofa and ran towards the door. His father was dressed in his work clothes of a smart suit, his white hair tied back loosely. Lance ran up towards his father, hugging his legs tightly as he giggled.
“Dad!” Lance exclaimed. His father smiled at him, ruffling his hair. He looked more tired than usual, sweat on his forehead and his tie askew. Lance didn’t notice the blood that was staining his dark blazer.
“Dad, what’s wrong?” His sister asked. His father ignored her, beckoning her to come over as he crouched so that he was Lance’s level.
“Hey, guys, can you do me a favour?” He asked chirpily. Lance nodded at his father eagerly.
“Uh-huh.” He replied.
“Get a bag and pack a few things, okay? As much as you possibly can.” His father added urgently. Lance’s eyes widened, excited. His sister raised an eyebrow at him quizzingly.
“Are we going on holiday?” Lance asked excitedly. His father forced a chuckle out of himself, nodding at Lance with a small, strained smile.
“Something like that. Just be as quick as you can for me, alright?”
“’kay!” Lance replied excitedly as he ran into his room. He was a bit suspicious as to why they were planning a sudden holiday so late, especially with his sister leaving for university and Lance starting school soon. He pulled out his travel bag from under his bed, opening it quickly and began throwing in clothes from the drawers and wardrobe. He grabbed a few toys for Azura to play with, because surely, they wouldn’t be leaving her? He found his school backpack, and he thought that it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to pack some other things (his secret sweet stash was something that he couldn’t just abandon). Lance dragged his bag down the stairs whilst wearing his backpack and holding his favourite blue lion plush that his mother bought him for when he was born, leaving his travel bag at the bottom of the staircase as he clicked his tongue. Usually Azura would leap out of the nearest corner or ledge, meowing softly and rub herself on Lance’s leg. As Lance clicked his tongue again, he wandered through the hall and into the main room. He stared at the back door.
Did Azura ever come back inside?
“Come on, Lance!” His sister shouted from somewhere in the house as Lance opened the back door and stepped outside into the back garden.
“But I don’t wanna leave Azura!” Lance replied loudly. He looked around where he stood, before walking further into the garden. He heard a familiar cat shriek from behind the fence, and Lance dropped his toy on the floor to investigate further. At the very back of the garden was a somewhat convenient hole, large enough for Lance to squeeze through to serve as a shortcut home to surprise his father. He squeezed himself through as fast as he could whilst trying not to tear his backpack, and didn’t notice that he had caused the fence to split wider, as well as scratching his hand causing it to bleed slightly. It was rotting anyway, Lance thought to himself.
In front of him was a long stretch of darkness, which would usually be home to a scenery of thick green grass that reached Lance’s knees, stretching long and wide with a dirt path that lead from the neighbourhood to the town. He looked around for a few moments, his stomach knotting itself tightly as he couldn’t see his best friend anywhere. Dejectedly, he turned and made his way back to the fence, his favourite flashlight in hand. He noticed then that the hole in the fence was ridiculously wide, and felt a blush to his cheeks as he walked through the hole with east into the garden once more. He was greeted by the sight of his sister, dressed in several layers of clothes, a backpack on and two large and stuffed duffle bags.
“Where on earth did you run off to?!” She asked, clearly furious. Lance flinched at her tone, shuffling towards her slowly with his head down so not to show the tears and snot streaming down his face.
“I-I can’t find Azura. She’s g-gonna be all alone, and-” Lance replied brokenly, looking up at his sister, her expression softening as she caught sight of his heartbroken face.
“Lance, buddy, right now we really need to-” She froze. She went pale slightly in the dark, eyes wide as she dropped the bags on the floor and trembling.
“Oh… my God.” She choked. Lance turned around, curious, and found himself rooted to the spot, body running cold and legs trembling.
A tall, gangly body was edging towards him, sluggish but what seemed to be determined at least. Its eyes were clouded over excessively, the whites of their eyes a dirtied yellow and bloodshot. There was a rancid stench emitting from the thing, but the clothes it was wearing were only somewhat dirty, as if it had fallen over recently. Lance noticed a dark liquid smeared across its lips as it made an unearthly groan (it sounded tortured, yet content with the state it was in), and Lance couldn’t help but let his eyes wander down to the thick, black fur it was tightly crushing in its grasp. Lance felt his knees fail him and he collapsed on the floor, his eyes latched onto the blue bloodied collar tangled in the fur. He couldn’t seem to breathe, let alone talk, as he watched blood dribble from the remains of his only honest and caring friend.
“Azura…?” He said at last, as though he was expecting his cat to leap out to rescue. But she was there – her remains at least – crushed in this monster’s hand. Lance felt a suddenly discomfort in his throat, and screamed at the top of his lungs. The thing opened its mouth and let out its own inhuman screech. Lance continued to scream, even as he felt himself be dragged up to his feet by his sister. She picked him up swiftly, burying his face in her chest as she breathed heavily. Lance didn’t even hear her make a single move. She started running with Lance in her arms, and Lance cling onto her shirt tightly. He didn’t raise his head once as Lance felt himself be dropped onto the sofa, sobbing and shaking and holding back the urge to vomit. This was a nightmare, it had to be surely. Even as he heard his sister grunt loudly and the sound of crushing bone echo through the air and the back-door slamming shut and locked, he thought that it was all too horrid to be true.
“Lance, Lance I need you to look at me buddy.” His sister said frantically, lifting Lance gently and looking over his arms and legs. There was blood splattered across her face, her hair wild as she looked at Lance with such a level of terror and sorrow. She pulled Lance towards her and squeezed him as hard as she could. Lance felt her tears drop onto the top of his head as he cried.
“I’m sorry, Lance. I am so sorry. I almost got you killed.” She sobbed, rocking back and forth as she shook. Lance turned his head slightly, and felt the tears fall heavier down his cheeks as he noticed the bloodied collar on the seat next to the two of them. Azura was really gone. He sobbed loudly, with his sister stroking his hair again and shushing him to try her best to calm him down, or the pair of them at most.
“A-A-Azu-Azuraaaaaa…” Lance howled into her chest. There was the heavy sound of footsteps, as if someone was running down the stairs as the main room door was swung wide open.
“Lance! Allura!” His father yelled. He felt a pair of strong, stable arms envelope the pair of them, a very comforting warmth swallowing them whole as Lance felt soothed and secure. He heard his father let out a deep breath and a thank you to God.
“Are you alright? You’re not hurt, are you? You’ve not been bit, right?” He asked. Allura nodded fervently, wiping her cheeks dry and clinging onto Lance a little bit tighter in any way she could. Lance snuggled into Allura, suddenly exhausted and emotionally weak as she stroked his hair gently.
He remembers falling asleep in Allura’s arms, and it wasn’t long before he woke up in the back of the family car, his head resting on Allura’s lap. The streetlights shone through the windows, the outside in utter chaos. Lance didn’t need to look through the window as he heard screams and car horns and glass shattering around them. He glanced up at his father, driving with a stoic expression on his face. In the passenger, to his surprise, was his father’s good friend Coran, his ginger hair wild and his moustache comically in disarray. The two of them were murmuring to themselves as his father drove.
Lance looked to the floor, the blue collar resting in a bag next to Allura’s feet. It was then he realised that his sister must have grabbed it from the thing before she rushed inside. She could have died, Lance thought to himself, she could have died simply for a cat collar. A cat that was long gone and hopefully playing peacefully with their mother. Lance closed his eyes again, nuzzling his head in Allura’s lap. Allura stroked his head gently. Lance wondered if he would be able to go home and play in his garden soon, relax in the sun and play in the snow; he even wondered if he would be able to see his friend from school. But he felt himself be overcome with sleep once more, hearing Allura mutter some form of promise.