Chapter three: Jump, Pounce, Leap

"Rrghh.." I opened my eyes. It was quiet. Where has everyone gone.. And

why can't I speak.. I sat up feeling much better than the day before. I looked around. Everything was deserted. Paper and guns littered the streets, and there was a giant steel wall across the bridge, along with the sealed door from before. I knew this would happen.. They left me for dead with the infected. I can't blame them though.. It was the only way CEDA would let them pass..

"So, you're finally awake I see?" I jumped back letting out a screech in surprise. I landed on my back about 10 feet from where I was sitting.

"Heh, I guess you're just getting used to your new powers I gave you, huh?" It was a Hunter. I searched around for my weapon, any weapon. I saw an assault rifle out of the corner of my eye and ran towards it. About to pick it up, I looked at the shiny barrel and saw my reflection and my eyes went wide. My skin was a dull grey and my teeth were elongated and sharp and my eyes were a dull yellow. I looked down at my hands. My fingers have grown at least an inch since the last time I checked, and my nails have grown even more than before I slept. I also felt stronger. A lot stronger. Especially in my lower back and legs. I've turned. Am I.. a.. Hunter? No.. I can't be.. The Hunter looked at me an sighed.

"I guess I'll have to teach you everything. You don't even know what you are yet. Poor thing." I walked back over to him wondering what he meant by 'teach me everything'.

"Look, you're a Hunter and I'm the one who changed you. Good thing too. That smoker that grabbed you was following you and ready to grab you, would have killed you right on the spot, but as soon as I bit you, he knew that you were mine and left you alone." His? What is he talking about..

"So. Any questions before I get started?" I looked at him and cocked my head to the side, pointing to my throat.

"Oh yeah.. I forgot. Infected can't talk right away.. And have to learn how to all over again. I guess we'll try that in a week or two, after you learn how to hunt." As he said that word, 'hunt', I felt my stomach turn and my mouth water. I pointed to my stomach and whined.

"Yes, I know you're hungry. You'll be constantly hungry for the next week or so. I'll bring you some food but first, how about a name? Mine is Alex. How about you?"

I looked down and saw a puddle of mud, so I scooped some up in my hand and started to write my name in the cement.

"Jacob huh? Cool I guess.." Then I realized that both him and me could see. I pointed to my eyes and managed a low growling sound.

"Eyes? Oh. Right. Most Hunters claw their own eyes out.. Those are probably the ones you see attempting suicide by pouncing alone on a survivor with friends. Seeing as how Hunters are still closely related to humans in terms of brain capacity. Ours are the least degraded. We still feel some human emotions and some can't take it. They live every day slashing and killing humans, and they're too weak to take it. They go crazy. But not me, and hopefully not you. I'll train you to be just as good as me. Come on, I know a great training spot." I can't believe this.. Alex guided me down the empty streets, as I tripped and fell over my newly changed body.

We walked for about 10 minutes, the night was ending quickly. I could see

the sun start to rise, and my eyes began to sting more and more each minute. And my legs, they wouldn't stop itching. They wanted something, but I wasn't quite sure what it was. Alex seemed to notice too, and just smiled and laughed.

"Here we are." I looked around noticing a few commons and some red steel bars stacked up on one another, almost looking like a building, but with no walls. A large yellow machine with a long neck stood next to it. This seems familiar.. Have I been here before? Alex noticed me looking about.

"It's a construction site, there are plenty of commons here for you to practice and feed on later. Stay right here, I'll get you some fresh food. You'll need fresh human your first time in order to keep your strength." I turned around and laid on the ground, a sharp pain went through my stomach and my head started to spin. Man.. I need to eat fast.. And what's up with my legs? Why are they so itchy all of a sudden? I scratched at my legs until the started to bleed. What is.. WRONG with me? I stood up and started hopping in place. I looked up and saw the large metal structure. I want to.. Jump. Could I make it? I guess there's no harm in trying.. Oh god.. I crouched down on all fours and tensed my body up, until my legs were trembling. Here I go.. I released the tension in my body all at once and screamed, and I flew like a spring up onto the highest bar of the structure. How the HELL did I do that.. That was AWESOME!. And my legs aren't itching anymore, sick! Alex started to walk into the lot and I decided to have a little fun.

"Where the hell did he go? I told him to wait here.." Alex let out a large sigh and sat the fleshy corpse against a wired fence. I tensed up, ready to leap.

"That guy is gonna get himself ki-"

"SCREAACHH!" I jumped and landed right next to Alex, knocking him over on his back.

"HOLY SHIT! THE FUCK YOU DO THAT FOR?" I snickered as I put out my hand to help him up, he growled at me.

"Over there… I KINDELY brought you some fresh meat. Eat as much as you need. I already ate.. And I think it's gonna come back up thanks to someone.." I smiled at that as we walked over to the corpse. It was a young man.. Early twenties at best, although, it was hard to tell seeing as how his face was half mauled and his torso was almost completely ripped out. He smelled warm.. I got down onto all fours and crawled closer to sniff it. This scent.. It's wonderful. My mouth began to water again as I picked up the body's arm and brought it to my mouth. I took a large bite and blood began oozing around the corner of my mouth. This is the best thing I've ever tasted in my entire life! I began to eat up the entire arms length and back down again, until there was nothing but bone left. Blood was everywhere. It was thick and sweet, and it dripped down my chin and claws, down into a crimson puddle at my knees. It was so beautiful, like a pool of shining rubies. I wanted to lick it up off of the ground, but was stopped my Alex.

"Tempting isn't it? Y'know, the suns gonna rise soon. We're gonna need to find a place to sleep. I think I might know a place. I used to stay there before I went out looking for suitable survivors to infect. It's over there." He pointed a bit north-west from here and I leaped in that direction, looking back with a wide, bloody smile on my face.

"Jeesh. Looks like you're in a good mood.. Wait for me. You don't even know where it is yet." I waited for Alex on a rooftop while he crouched and leapt in my direction, then towards a tall apartment building.

"In here. There's beds and everything too." He jumped into a hole in the building wall and I followed. Inside were two mattresses that were tore up with blood splatters on them. The floor was bloodstained and there were bones piled up in the corner, and at the back of the room was a small couch covered in plastic and not a speck of blood on it. I wondered if there's something special about that couch? I shrugged it off and laid down on one of the mattresses and watched Alex crawl to his.

"We'll go back tomorrow. You need to train to get food for yourself. So get some sleep." I nodded and shut my eyes, feeling more content than I have in a long time.