V.I.R.A.L

The soft shower of snow had taken the small area hold. Sharp and beautiful snowflakes echoed throughout the sky. Mixing with the mountains and forest of the surrounding area made it a sight to be seen. The night sky glittered with stars all watching the destined meeting for the last time. Alton stood by his broken-down car in a state of confusion. "Sam? What… what are you doing here?"

Sam, a girl tall for her age, slouched over letting her tomboyish red hair hangover as she was panting. She was shaking to the bone wearing only shorts and a tank top with a scarf wrapped poorly around her neck. She stood up tears in her eyes, struggling to breathe. "You're a coward Alton! You hear me! A COWARD! Why? Why are you running? The city needs you. The team needs you. I need you."

Alton stepped away from the car he turned to his mother who was working on fixing the car as her life depended on it. "Sam… I can't. The… I, tch. I just can't."

"Then, the last year meant nothing? I thought you were different Alton. Someone I could trust. Turns out that was wrong!"

"You're wrong! Those times we spent. Me, you. Destiny. Marco. I wouldn't change that for the world!"

"Then help us!"

"You should get out of here too… take your mother and father and run. It's already too late."

"Is that you talking? Or your mother?" Alton flinched as his lip trembled. "Your mother may act as she knows best but… But! What do you think?!"

"What I think?" He whispered, never feeling so conflicted in his life.

"I've always hated this god damn town and the damn people who live their lives here. They always looked down on me for being different. Ask me a year ago, and I would have said fuck this town. Let it burn to the ground. But it's different now. You showed me that. If this town goes. If I lose it all now, then those memories I made. The people I held close to me. The time we spent together would have all been for nothing!"

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"The car is running again. We are leaving."

"But…"

Alton's mother came around the car, shaking him. "You aren't getting second doubts?! We know it will happen if we stay. I know how horrible it is, but we need to run."

"For how long? How much longer do we run? Months? Years? My whole life?! What is the point of living if I'm just running from everything when my life is right in front of me! Look at her mum. Just look at her. Can we run away from that?"

Alton's mother looked at Sam with pity. "Alton, I'm sorry… I really am. This. This is why we don't get attached. We make mistakes and threaten those we care for. He's after you. He always will be. I refuse to lose you as we lost him. Please get in the car!"

Alton turned to Sam, holding back his tears as he bit his lip until it bled. Kicking his foot against the car, he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Damn it!" He fell to his knees, gripping his heart. "It's unfair. It always has been. Why? Why is this happening to us? We didn't deserve this!"

"I know."

Alton stood up, screaming his regrets into the night as Sam's eyes sunk. Alton turned to her, looking more broken than ever before. "I'm. I'm sorry…" Forcing himself into the car she started it back up ready to go. Alton slammed the door shut, making Sam collapse. She watched on in disarray as the vehicle began driving away. She failed. She failed him is all she could think. Alton stared out the back of the car, seeing Sam slowly disappearing into the rising blizzard, knowing this would be the moment he would regret for the rest of his life.

****

Alton hadn't left the hospital just yet. He couldn't bare to face the outside world after what had happened. The promise he had broken once more now shattered, unable to recover. He stared out the window as the sun began to set. "You hate me, don't you? Don't blame you. I hate myself right now. No matter how many times I try to make things right, I just. Always seem to fuck things up, don't I? I really hope you do. Hate me that is. I deserve nothing left. Abandoning you because I was scared might just be the worst thing, I've done Sam." Alton turned back around kneeling muttering to her. He looked at the bed she was confined to as the multiple life support machines kept any sort of silence from happening. He took a longwinded sigh tutting as his stupidity. Taking her hand, he was only able to hold it for a short while before retracting being far too cold to hold. Holding his numb hand tightly, he closed his eyes frustrated. "I've fucked up again. Could you believe that? Alton Brantley being a screw-up? Who would have guessed?"

Alton raised his head, cupping his hands together over his face. "You would've known what to do leader. You always did. We all looked up to you as something more. If anyone was a hero, it was you, Sam. You did unify us for a short time we were all together. I'm glad in the end you agreed to the name choice. Unity suits you so well… I really could use your help again. Selfish me asking, I know. I honestly thought I had it all worked out. I was just getting by. Believe me, it wasn't easy. Then Zinnia had to go and fuck it up." He laughed, rubbing his hands together, freezing over. "You would have liked Zinnia. You two probably would have gotten along. Maybe too much ha-ha… I thought Zinnia was my second chance. The chance to make things right. To start over and correct the mistake I made with you… Can't really say that. That implies we made it together. No, this is all my fault. I really believed this was the right thing. But I can't keep doing this, right? If I keep trying to be a heroic streamer like Zinnia wants, I won't be able to afford the treatment. He might find me again. It's too risky. Siding with Vanguard is the right choice, yeah?"

Alton laughed to himself, shaking his head. "Bet you would've told me to forget you. Probably would have slapped me for being an idiot too huh? But is it too much to ask to get what I want for once? Why can't I just have you back? Even if you hated me. Cast me aside and never wanted anything to do me. I don't care. I'll follow you to the ends of the earth. You mean that much to me, Sam. I promise I'll make you better soon. I told myself I wouldn't run away anymore but… I'm sorry, but it seems I'm going to be breaking that code again…"

A nurse entered looking a little shocked. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in here."

Alton wiped his face shaking his head. "No, no. I'm sorry. I know visiting hours are over. I'll leave."

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The nurse smiled, shaking her head. "It's fine. Miss Belling doesn't usually get visitors. I think you are the only person who has visited Alton. That makes me relieved. No one should be alone like this. It seems Sam would agree. She's looking much happier today!"

"Don't be daft… she wouldn't be happy to see me." He whispers, standing up. "I'll be going now… Please take good care of her."

"You have my word, she's in good hands."

"The best." He nods, stepping outside. Standing in the hallway, he rubbed his face roughly snapping. "Ah! Get yourself together, Alton!" Holding his phone and the business card in either hand, he stepped outside the hospital only to find it snowing. Grumbling annoyingly to himself he sighed. "Still can't control this curse of yours Alton? What a surprise… snow in summer. What a joke. Pull yourself together."

Staring at his phone, he found himself yet again stuck with a choice. One which he knew would change his life forever and be one he fully regrets. Feeling like there was no other choice, he began to slowly enter the number on his phone, each digit being a blow to his moral and spirit. Each digit making him hate himself more than he already did. Each digit threw away any pride he might have left. The last number was punched in as he held his phone up, letting it ring. He was halfway to hanging up and going back to his friends. He wanted to. But his heart and the guilt wouldn't let him. The ringing stopped as the call was answered. Licking his lips, he looked up at the snowy sky which reminded him of the same day all those years ago as he spoke with a shaken tone. "This is Alton Brantley… Dauntless. I'm. I'm… In."