After 30 Days

Seventeen - Day 39*

"It bit me."

His voice was strangely calm, as if he was telling me that the weather was nice today. He looked down at his arm, watched as a line of blood escaped from the deepest part of the bite and the first drip hit the grass.

"I came down the slide, and there it was. I didn't even have time to react."

The trapped zombie was still banging around inside the maze. The dull thumps seemed to echo the turmoil inside my own head. I wasn't sure if my heart was still beating, I couldn't hear it anymore over the silent chaos.

"Come on," grabbing his extended arm, I dragged Shawn away from the fun house. The muffled thumps from the zombie faded, and as that sound quieted, I could at least think again. When we had taken several turns through the carnival I pulled us to a stop behind a stand with giant stuffed animals still hanging from it's ceiling. "Stop here."

He stood passively as I tore off my backpack and dumped the contents on the ground.

"Here," I grabbed his arm and dumped an entire bottle of water over the wound. The blood diluted and ran off, revealing an imperfect circle of ragged punctures. Human teeth were not meant to bite flesh.

The deepest mark began trickling blood again as soon as the flow of water stopped. I threw the empty bottle down and began searching the little pile, cursing when I didn't immediately find what I was looking for.

"Bri."

"Shut up," I snapped. My shaking hands were only making the search take longer. I stopped. Inhaled one long breath. Then another. I kept my face down so he wouldn't see that I was fighting back tears.

I didn't cry anymore. Crying was a waste of energy and didn't solve anything. I refused to cry.

My hands were steady when I went back to searching the now scattered pile. Finding the needed packet, I tore it open and went to work on the bite.

He flinched a little, but kept quiet while I used everything medical that I had stuffed into my bag earlier to clean and bandage the bite. Done with that task, I knelt down to begin throwing my things back into my bag. I didn't look at him. I wasn't sure that I could do that, yet, without breaking.

"Bri..."

"No," I violently closed the zipper and slung the bag back over my shoulder.

I was angry. No, I was furious. My pulse pounded in my temples to the beat of my heart. My jaw ached. Taking another deep breath, I forced my jaw to unclench before I broke some teeth.

"Let's go," I marched out from behind the stand and cut a straight line in the direction of the car.

"What are you doing?" Shawn grabbed me and pulled me back out of the open. "There could be more. Or the one in the maze could get out."

"Let them come!" I whirled around to face him and spit the words out.

He looked genuinely at a loss for words, just stared at me with his mouth open for several seconds. Finally, "You don't mean that." It was said quietly.

"You want to bet?" I shrieked. I was out of control, completely losing it. Feeling a rogue tear escape and roll down my face only made the emotions I was experiencing burn hotter.

He stepped closer cautiously, like I was some sort of trapped and wounded animal that might lash out at any second, which I guess I was. I eyed his approach wrathfully, but let him pull me into a tight hug. "It's going to be ok," He smoothed a hand over my back. "It's ok."

The rage folded under the overwhelming pressure of impending loss. Another tear streaked down my face, and suddenly I was crying harder than I could ever remember crying before.