Infection

Chapter 16 - Nightmares

It was still dark when I awoke, the night air silent. No more could I hear the sounds of battle which had kept us up long gone curfew, but I could still feel its effects. The images are bored into my mind, the faces of innocent people being murdered and turned into those things. How could we be so inhuman, how could we just stand there and watch them die, let alone kill them! That could of been Eve and I...we had barely made it through the gates. I closed my eyes, trying to relax and enjoy the silence, but it was disturbed by muffled... sobbing? Looking over to where Eve lay, I realized she was missing, nothing but a sleeping bag! Suddenly awake, I shimmied out of mine and slung it over my shoulder with a shiver. Where could she be?! Blindly I made my way to the center of the tent, feeling to check that everyone was where they were supposed to be as I went. But still no Eve! Quietly I went to the front, poking my head out of the flaps, and looking out into the clear night sky. It was a full moon, and without the city lights you could make out more than just the stars, and what a view it was! Everywhere you looked dots of light would appear spread out across the black abyss, making me feel so small and insignificant. Looking down I spotted Eve with her back to me, sitting by the cold fire with the moonlight illuminating her pale skin. She was wearing nothing but a white shirt, and I could make out the goose bumps littering her arms. Her ginger hair appeared almost red under the light, and fell down over her back and front unattended. I could hear the weeping louder now, as I slowly approached, before gently placing a hand on her shoulder. I felt her flitch under my touch, her skin cold and shaky, but she didn't turn around. Taking the sleeping bag off my shoulder, I unzipped it and placed it over her back before sitting down.

"Eve," I whispered. "What's up?"

She sniffed resting her head on my shoulder, her face obscured by hair. "All those people, they're dead."

I sighed. "There's nothing you could do, it's not your fault. You're alive and that's what matters."

"But all those people.."

"Yes, they're gone or worse, but they most certainly won't be the last. It's a mad world we live in and there's no escaping it. We have to look out for each other."

"I know, it's just so horrible. I can't sleep... every time I close my eyes I see their faces."

"Then don't close your eyes." I brushed the hair back behind her ears, revealing her wet, frightened face, her watery eyes meeting mine. "I'll keep you safe."

"Oh Seth..." She scarcely mouthed before leaning in. "I lo..."

"Oy! You two love birds better get back in your tent!"

Jumping I noticed a soldier standing by the tent next door, wielding a rifle.

"Quickly now before someone else sees you, the last thing we need is more dead civilians!"

Muttering an apology, we both rushed back into our tent haven't forgotten about the curfew rules. How long had he been standing there? Once back in the tent we both went straight to our beds crawling into our sleeping bags. Without asking, Eve shuffled over next to me, unzipping her sleeping bag and resting her head on my chest.

"Good night, Seth," she mumbled, snuggling down.

"Sleep well." I whispered, laying an arm over her.

**************************
Chapter 17 - A Cold Wet Day (teaser)

'Subject 1: John, male, 42, white British, O+, negative.'

And under that was another...

'Subject 2: Lucy, female, 23, Black British, A+, negative.'

And another...

'Subject 3: David, male, 37, White American, O+, negative.'