Infection

Chapter 53 - Stabbed

I could hear the intruder shuffling threw the debris, my position threatening to expose Snow and I. Hurriedly, I propped Snows limp body on the stairs resulting in a grinding squeak making me freeze. Light foot steps turned to sprinting stomps, giving me just enough time to draw my knife and send it plunging into my assailant.

I felt the blade make contact and slither deep into the creature, my arm staining to hold it in place, but then it gasped. I felt it step back the handle slipping from my grip.

"Seth..." It stuttered, green eyes staring back at mine...Jamie's eyes. Oh...

We both starred blankly at each other, the pain finally showing on Jamie's face.

"You stabbed me!" She screamed, looking angrily down at the knife imbedded in her shoulder.

"Sorry?" I tried, I didn't know whether to be relieved or worried! "Hay, it could of be worse!"

"You... You stabbed me!" Her voice faltered, her face paling. 

I could see blood oozing out of the wound, staining her top."Its just a scrape, you'll be fine! Anyway what happened to the others?"

"Seth... your knife is in my shoulder and you're concerned about strangers?" She shouted bluntly.

"You want me to pull it out?"

"No, I'm gonna kill you!"

"No your not, now how are we going to fix this?"

She hesitated, the adrenaline wearing off. "I... I don't know," she whispered.

'"Right then, sit down on the stairs and I'll sought this out." I ordered, taking control of the situation.  Surprisingly she obaide, taking a seat next to Snow.

"What happened to her, you stab her as well?" she huffed, looking anywhere but at the knife.

"Um...I'll tell you latter," I decided, crouching to take a closer look at the damage. If the knife had been any longer it would have gone straight threw. "How does it feel?"

"Like theres a knife inside me!"

"Can you still move your fingers and arm?"

"If you want me to pass out."

I sighed, pulling off my shirt to get to my vest. "You're lucky I haven't been stabbing infected with that knife.

"What are you doing?" She asked, noticing me bunching my vest around the knife.

"Nothing, just dabbing blood." I lied, quickly taking the hilt of the blade and whipping it out. She cried out, but didn't say anything as I forced the vest against the cut. "Put pressure on this while I get my belt off." I asked.

Complying, I took it off and wrapped it under her arm twice before buckling it off. I could already see blood seeping threw. "Better?"

She timidly rolled her shoulder, wincing. "Not bad for a quick fix."

'I have my uses," I jested. "Lets go meet up with the others."

"They'll be long gone, back to the drop zone I suggest."

"What about Snow?"

"Guess she's our responsibility now."

Replacing my T-shirt, I lifted the girl back into my arms, her face a peaceful mystery. The journey back to where we started was quite, our party looking looking as banged up as our foe. What I didn't understand was where had they gone and why they hadn't pursued use. Don't even even get me started on what happened with Snow and Jamie! In all honesty I just wanted to forget this day ever happened.

We sat for time at an old bus stop (pick up point), looking like the front cover of an apocalypse movie waiting for the dusty transit to turn up, or anyone to honest. When the truck finally came it was just us who hoped aboard, protocol forcing the driver to move on.

I kept to the back for time, peaking out the flap to watch the city fade away. I could of  sworn I'd seen one of those creatures perched on a ledge watching us retread but I didn't bring it up. The two of us just sat in morbid silence, Jamie's head eventually finding my shoulder. I would of thought going back to camp would bring some relief but it didn't, just more worry. I wondered if any of our friends had made, lucky for use they weren't on the same truck this morning, so we wouldn't find out till we got back.

*

I felt someone tab my shoulder bringing me out of a dreamless sleep, my body aching more then anything.

"Come on you three, you know the drill." It was the driver, I could hear the pity in his voice.

Shacking awake, I made sure Jamie was alive before shuffling to the exit with the child. 

"What happened to her?" The driver grunted.

"Hit her head," I lied, knowing full well what they would do to her if I told him the truth.

"Ain't she a bit young to be going out?"

I shrugged, "I don't make the rules. He didn't push it, escorting us over to where we were meant to hand in any goods.

"So what you got me today?" Sue asked, her smile faltering at our appearance. "Where everyone else." Her eyes fell on our driver who just shrugged.

"We got nothing, our drop was a death trap." I answered.

She sighed, her smile completely gone. "Don't worry about it, get yourself to the hospital wing before you two drop off as well. We didn't need telling twice!

After about an hour of being scolded by the Nurse, and several quick blood test we managed to escape. Jamie's 'accidental impalement', as we called it, now correctly dressed and Snow was left unconscious in a bed. 

The sun was beginning to cast long shadows as we walked back to our tent. The gentle hum of activity around us a welcoming companion compared to the ghostly silence of dead cites. I would called it peaceful if it wasn't for the corpse we passed, another rebel. They didn't take kindly to those who didn't comply, and they liked to leave the body out just to reinforce it. Even in the safety of camp we couldn't forget the world that enveloped use. Death was a busy man.

Reaching the comfort of 'home', Jamie immediately went to embrace Sophie, the majority of our group resting round a potted fire. We looked like a bunch of evacuees from World War 2, grim faced with gas masks hanging around our necks.

"Every one make it back?" I asked, taking my place next to James.

"Physically yes, but I've never seen the twins so quite in my life," he replied. "Eve's not back yet either." he added.

I nodded in acknowledgement. "We were the only two to make it back."

He didn't look surprised. "What happened to Jamie."

"Don't get me started."

He didn't answer, continuing to stare mournfully into the small light the fire provided. It wasn't until the sun fully set that the silhouette of Eve came into focus carrying a... guitar?