Dead or Alive

Chapter 23

We all left the barn and began walking in the frigid cold weather. Snow began to fall rather quickly on top of us as well.

"I-It's s-s-so c-c-c-cold!" Scarlett stuttered, her teeth chattering loudly.

"We have to get moving. If we stay still we will all freeze to death. Keep moving," Lyndsey called above the wind.

Aaron kept me pulled against him. Either to keep me warm, to keep him warm, or to make sure we don't get separated. I could hear his teeth chattering, as well as mine. I pulled my leather jacket tighter around me, to try to keep the warmth from escaping. 

"We're going to make it, Amala. I promise you. We won't die like this," Aaron muttered in my ear.

We walked for what felt like hours but might've been only a few minutes. I looked over and saw the silhouette of a road sign up ahead. I began walking towards it, pulling Aaron with me. When I got right up next to it, I could make out what it said.

"Welcome to Hutchinson Labs! Guys! We made it!" I called out.

"Yes! I knew we'd find it!" Lyndsey called, her teeth loudly chattering as well.

We all walked faster until we could see a rather large doorway through the severe blizzard. Beside the door, I saw an intercom. I quickly pushed the button and spoke into the microphone.

"Hello?! If anyone is in there, please open up! We're freezing out here! We have come up with a cure! Please let us in!" I said.

Suddenly, the large door opened and people came rushing out and helped us inside. When the door closed we were embraced with warm air. The people who helped us inside covered us with blankets and ushered us to a waiting room with a fireplace.

"Wait here. We'll get the head of the lab," One person said. 

All of the workers left the room, leaving us all alone with the fire and blankets.

"I'm so glad we made it. I thought we were going to die out there," Scarlett said.

"It was definitely a close call. I don't know how long we would've been able to keep walking," Alexandrea said.

Then, a woman in a pristine white lab coat walked up to us. She had black hair, green eyes, and looked to be in her middle to late fifties.

"Welcome to Hutchinson Labs. I'm Rayne Hutchinson, it's very nice to meet you all," she said.

"Thank you for allowing us to come in. My name is Amala, and this is Aaron, Lyndsey, Scarlett, Cody, Hailey, and Alexandrea," I introduced.

"Well, again, it's very nice to meet you. We couldn't just let you all freeze. Especially with the claim that you made," Rayne said.

Aaron wrapped his arm around me protectively. Rayne noticed and smiled.

"Trust me. We won't do anything to hurt you all. We aren't like the monsters out there," she said.

"We just want to find a vaccine. We already know how to make a cure to reverse the effects of the parasite, but if we can make a vaccine then that would be perfect," I said.

"Have you cured one of the Lurkers already?" Rayne asked.

"Yes."

"Is that person in your group?" 

"Yes."

"Then how do you propose that we create a vaccine?" Rayne asked.

"If the parasite is still in them then, in theory, we extract it and use it to make a vaccine," I said.