Bite {Niall Centric}

Day 156 - Night

Niall had to stay inside the hospital room for the night, despite his lack of pain or injury. His ankle had a proper cast now, and his baseball bat was clean and shiny; he would have to thank the doctor for doing that.

Liam left a while ago to gather the boys and bring them here to keep Niall company, even though Niall needed rest, and he wouldn't get rest if they were in here.

Oh well.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Come in!" Niall called to whomever was outside the door.

In walked a doctor, lab coat brushing along the floor as he took big strides to Niall's bed. "How are you feeling? Do you need any pain killers? Blankets? Food?"

"Food sounds nice," Niall responded quietly. "Did you wrap up my ankle?"

"Yes," The doctor replied, distracted with writing down notes in a clipboard. "I also disinfected your baseball bat. Our scientists recently discovered the pathogens that cause rapid decay and reanimation are present in zombie blood. Not just in their saliva. You'll have to be careful not to swallow or get it near any open wounds."

Niall snorted.

"I have survived five months of the zombie apocalypse, and I have probably swallowed my fair share of zombie blood. Do you really think I should stress more about avoiding the pathogens? Avoiding the bite is hard enough, but blood? Blood splatters everywhere! We would all be dead if that were true," Niall ranted, deciding not to mention where the scientists can stick their research.

"Niall, please calm down," The doctor raised his hands in surrender. "The research is still ongoing, but avoiding the blood as much as you can is just a precaution."

Niall rolled his eyes, lips pulled into a frown. "I'm sorry for overreacting, but I don't need people telling me what to do. I get enough of that already. . . Anyway, would you mind getting my food now?"

The doctor seemed surprised as he stumbled over his feet, nodding his head as he left the room in a hurry. Niall looked around the room, wondering what could have startled him so much. Surely his mood swing didn't startle him.

Niall slowly got up from his bed, grabbing his baseball bat instead of the crutches placed at his bedside table, and walked over to the only window placed in his room. Maybe the doctor had seen something outside. And indeed the doctor had.

Outside, of the base that is, was pure chaos. Zombies flanked a group of soldiers from all sides, closing in on them fast. Niall's free hand gripped the windowsill tightly, his eyes wide in shock. He could hear the cries of panic and the gunshots and the groaning of zombies. Machine guns placed on top of the barrier of the base shot off round after round of bullets, but it wasn't enough. It looked like all of London's zombies were outside the gate and surrounding the soldiers. No amount of ammo could save them.

"Oh God," But there wasn't one. No God would let Doom's Day happen. "They're going to die. . ."

Screams of pain and terror. He could hear it from his hospital room that was five stories high and three small buildings away. Niall felt sick. Food didn't sound so pleasing anymore. He tried to look away, he really did, but his eyes stayed glued to the little girl the soldiers must have tried to rescue. Niall felt sick all over again.

The zombies tore relentlessly at their flesh, the smell of death and defeat filling the air, even though Niall's window was sealed shut. Niall fell to his knees, bat clanking to the floor. He crawled his way to the trashcan and dryheaved, stomach just as empty as he wished he could feel. Be numb, Niall tried to convince himself once again.

He dryheaved once more, stomach cramping and eyes hot with fresh tears. He leaned against the wall, curled into a tight ball as he cried. He cried for the lives lost as if he knew them personally. He cried so long and hard he fell into a troubled sleep, whimpers leaving his mouth as he tossed and turned.

~.~.~.

When he woke up, drenched in sweat and breath coming in fast gulps of air, he felt the warm embrace of a friend. "You're finally awake," Liam smiled at him. Niall turned his head back to see who's lap he was in; Zayn.

Niall put his attention back on Liam, letting his body relax against Zayn's. "Did you- Did you see what happened out th-there?"

They all nodded their head solemnly.

"The soldiers went on a rescue mission when they heard a little girl's cry, but as soon as they reached the gate, the zombies seemingly came out of nowhere. They tried to get the little girl to safety, but a zombie had already bitten her. She turned-" Harry swallowed an apparent lump in his throat. "She turned and attacked them. They're nothing but zombies now, crowding the gates like the rest of 'em. Missy says we'll have to take the back entrance anytime we want to leave if the zombies don't clear out by then."

Niall sniffled, trying to stop the tears welling in his eyes. He was such a crybaby at times.

"On the brighter side," Zayn spoke up, slicing the forlorn silence in the air in half. "You'll be getting your braces off tomorrow!"

Niall faked a smile, but the boys saw right through it. Louis leaned in, arms outstreched, and began to tickle Niall. Niall squealed, struggling to get out of Zayn's grasp as Liam and Harry joined in on the torture. "Mercy! Mercy!" Niall gasped between laughter, the tears in his eyes falling down his cheeks. They were happy tears though. "Please!"

They finally stopped, Niall catching his breath with giant heaves of air. "Feel better now?" Louis asked with that signature crazy glint in his eyes.

Niall nodded, still breathing hard as he slumped against Zayn, tired.

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You guys are totally going to hate me in the next chapter. . .