Dead.

Chapter Six

Cass found some fresh clothes, thankfully clothing was in plentiful supply and she shrugged into a cardigan, fumbling with the buttons as she found a pair of worn-out jeans. It was better than the viscera covered other stuff. She wasn't even sure that would come out in a good wash but she would try later on, or ask a favour from one of the girls who knew what they were doing. Her boots were the only thing she couldn't replace, they still held up despite everything and Cass had become rather fond of them. Cass figured they must have been some sort of walking boots but they were heavier somehow, she was lucky they didn't cause blisters or any pinching pain. It was easier to take the blessings where they came these days.

Cass gathered her clothes and bundled them in her arms, setting them down in a small pile nearby the door and she glanced over the patients, it was imperative someone was around just in case they expired, that way the bodies could be burnt. They tended not to bury the dead in these trying times, watching corpses come back to life was considerably disturbing and the last thing anyone wanted was for their relative to claw their way up through the ground, knives weren't all that accurate in destroying the brain and they couldn't waste the bullets. However, once they were burnt, there was always a nice memorial place for them in a lush garden some of the residents had put together for such occasions. Cass figured it was better than nothing and given the circumstance the world found itself in, they ought to be grateful for what little they did receive after their death providing it wasn't walking around trying to chew the faces off someone.

Everyone remained sleeping and Cass slumped into a chair finally, she liked the peace in here, as morbid as it was most of the time, it was comforting. Everything outside this place was hectic, loud and without an end but in here, it was different. It was quiet, silent almost save for the odd shuffle of feet outside, or the chatter or occasional explosive laughter. She wasn't sure what there was to laugh about anymore, they had a second group outside their walls and apparently their leader was such a coward he would let innocents die to save his own skin. That wasn't true though, what Peter had done was to try and protect an entire community. She tipped her head back on the chair, exhaling and closing her eyes.

Sleep wouldn't come no matter how much she tried to ease into the chair, agitated by everything that happened, stiff and sore from the exertion put onto her muscles from earlier. It didn't really make any sense, at one point her sleep addled brain was even questioning whether they were truly the good guys in all of this. They had turned their back on a small encampment that needed help, although Cass knew that thinking was flawed given Jeffrey and his group of outsiders had rolled up with a handful of vehicles and guns ready to fight and destroy the community. Still, they had been desperate and she opened her eyes to see it was late afternoon judging by the heat and light. She must have slept, or it was more like unconsciousness. She pushed herself up and went to inspect the only two patients she had.

Greg was looking better, but he still had a long way ahead and she figured it was good there was no infection clipping his heels and the most he would have to contend with was a nasty scar. She couldn't fix that; it would hopefully fade over time and she watched him drink and manage to sit up on his own and she smiled at him.

"What's going on?" He managed to croak out once his throat was moistened up. Cass eyed him over, then again it wasn't as though this place was soundproof and she didn't want to be the one to express what was happening here.

"I heard the gunfire, Cass." Greg remarked, exasperated with her pause no doubt and Cass was jolted into responding immediately.

"Just some corpses." She said to him, he wasn't yet strong enough to process what was actually going on and even Cass wasn't sure how long this tepid agreement would last without one side starting something. It was like a barrel of oil waiting to explode and all it would take was a match on either side. Jeffrey led his people, but he couldn't account for all of their actions, just the same as they couldn't account for everyone's.