In every lifetime

Chapter 7 "A thousand miles."

Chapter 7 "A thousand miles."

Gustus's POV

     I have two choices left here. I can either try and outrun the herd, while carrying Eliza. She would probably bleed out on the way, so that option is definitely out. I take option two and duck into the clinic. I gently lay her down, so that I can barricade the doors. When that is finished I pick her up and take her to an examining room.

     As I pack her wound, I notice just how deep it is. I know we didn't take all the supplies, so I raid the drawers and find just what I need. Lidocaine and a syringe. I am no doctor, but I have had to patch a few people up in the field. I fill the syringe and start numbing the area around Eliza's wound.

     She doesn't wake up once. As I am finishing the her last of forty stitches, she starts seizing. The seizure lasts a few minutes and it is all that I can do, keeping her still. I don't want her to pop her stitches. This tells me only one thing, she needs blood. Abby once said that my blood was special. It is better than a universal donor, but I should only use it if I had to. She said that people would want to study it.

     Maybe it is because I am a beta, but who really knows. It only takes me a few minutes to set up for a transfusion. I have only ever done this once, on Raven's dad and he didn't make it. I will give all my blood to make sure Eliza makes it. It takes about ten minutes for her skin to change from deathly white and grey, to having a slightly pinkish color. I take this time to stop the transfusion and cover her up. 

     She isn't going to be happy about her clothes being ruined, but at least her jacket is fine. Nothing a little water won't fix. In the breakroom, there is plenty of vending machine food, and two cases of water. After busting open the vending machine, I place it all in a backpack and carry it to the room I have Eliza in. 

     When that is finished, I make my way to the locker room. Oh Eliza is going to love this. It seems that we have our choice of scrubs in her size, pink with smiley faces or lime green with duckies on them. I take them to the room and lay them on the counter.

     I lean against the wall and start eating a bag of chips, with one of the bottles of water. Tonight I will rest and keep an eye on Eliza. Tomorrow, I will make a plan to catch up with the others. We will be here at least a few days, before she can be moved. It isn't long until I drift off to sleep. 

     When I wake up, there has been no change in Eliza. It's only been a few hours, I realize it's more than likely going to be days before she even wakes up. I should have ran her an IV. I take the time and set one up, now. 

     After that is finished, I decide to take a look outside. I move the couch from in front of the doors, before opening them, slowly. It appears that there are only a few of the dead walking. It only takes moments to dispatch them and I keep walking down the street, checking for vehicles. Eliza won't be walking fast for quite awhile. 

     There is a mini van a few streets over that has plenty of gas, but is wrapped around a pole. It takes another forty-five minute and twelve blocks to find another car. This one is almost half full and has an empty gas can in the trunk. It starts right up and I park it in front of the clinic.

     I will fill the tank up tomorrow and try to find Eliza's swords. I should change her bandage and IV bag soon anyways. After that is finished, I go back to the breakroom. There has to be something more nutritional there. Sure enough in the bottom of one of the cabinets are about six cases of cups of ramen. It's not much, but it will do. Cold soup is better than no soup.

     After eating my soup, I check on Eliza and notice that she has developed a fever. It's not bad, so I use water to try and cool her down, only for her to start having chills. I add a few more blankets on top of the one she already has on her. Searching the room, I find a locked cabinet.