-STEVIE'S P.O.V-
I wish I could hate Taylor. This whole week I've been hurting. Trying to find out why I can't hate her.
I can say I want to hate her. But then I'm right here.. fucking terrified that I can't save her life. That she will leave me. I don't want to be alone and she's the only.. the only somewhat friend I have.
"We have to move. Just a little more." I beg of her.
She nods and follows me. Straightening up when her men come around the corner. Acting normal but she isn't. She's pale and fragile.
From this base we save 5. All of which are soldiers who tell the story of how the base got attacked. They're helpful to have but not overly useful.
As we land, I carefully lead Taylor to Lisa. The lab is empty for the moment. That's good.
"Bossladies.."
"She needs help. Got bit on the shoulder. I tried to use my blood. I need help."
Lisa makes quick work to help. Taylor passes out. Helpful but scary to me.
Taylor's wound is horrible. The zombie didn't get much meat off of her but did do a lot of damage. In the left side of the bite, a layer of her skin is pulled from the muscle.
I want to vomit to the sight but I can't. And I don't want to leave her either.
Lisa runs back and forth with items. Stitching her up before running back to her scope. Trying to help in what way she can.
"What I can do isn't going to be fun for you."
"That being?"
"The virus is trying to mix with her cells but can't because your blood is blocking it. It's a good lead to make the cure but bad because I can't give you a time line. I have no idea. So. I'm going to give you supplies and you're going to need to inject your blood in her wound."
"You can't do it?"
"Not that I can't, I'm saying that it needs to be done several times. Give her a small vile 3 times a day, maybe. And bring her in in 2 days. I'll try to search for a way to get your blood in a cure."
I carefully lift Taylor. Lisa setting the supplies in Taylor's lap. I carry her to her room.
Setting her down is difficult. She doesn't let go. It's hard to put the stuff out of the way but she won't let go.
Prying her hands off of me fails. She grips tighter. Maybe she's afraid to die?
Maybe she doesn't want to die alone? Maybe she's like me, secretly broken and hiding it?
Either way. I'm forced to lay with her. It's as if our roles were switched.
Hours pass and nothing hapoens. In weary from the long day but won't sleep. She still holds onto me like she can't let go because she's locked in place.
Hours. Hours. Eventually I allow it to take me. For however long.
I wake to movement. Immediately on guard. But she's awake. Alive. And confused.
"What happened?" She lets go of me.
I get up and prepare needle for blood. "Well. I got you to base, as I said I would. Lisa is running tests but it seems my blood has blocked most of the virus. She's making me give you injections in the wound of my blood. Unfortunately, this is going to hurt, Taylor."
She leans up and allows me. Not even complaining about the pain. She's so bruised and swollen. But she doesn't look like the guy behind the glass.
"Thank you." She says lightly. "I believed I was going to die."
"I don't have much of a reason to live. If I can help before I do part, I will. Even if I have to save you. If I can."
"I'm sorry for being angry when you saved me. I was meant to protect you. Not the other way around. It got to me. Made me feel.. insecure about my job."
Her robot pieces are inactive. Every word she speaks is of pure truth. Actual feeling. I feel bad for her..
"I have strong feelings for you. I don't know if they're good or bad. I just know that I can't let you die."
"Thanks."
I put the materials away and go lay down on the couch. She lays back on the bed. I could sleep but she needs to sleep too. Her first. Then me.
"I think Lisa said to the general that you need to rest. So. Do so. We are off the missions until you're healed."
"Sorry for all the things I said." She says with a sigh. "So dizzy made everything spill. I don't even remember the rest I said."
"It's okay. Just sleep. I'll be here if you need me."
She falls asleep rather easily. Must be from the pain. I don't blame her. This is a really sad ordeal.
It's not fair what had happened to her but it is what it is. Sometimes I wonder about her. She's weird. She never shows emotion and then suddenly she did. She showed me emotion. I just don't think she's fully mentally stable. Or she really is like me...
I think that within a few days, I will be nothing more than a lab rat. If Lisa can make a cure from my blood, that's all I will be purposed to. If Lisa can make a cure, I will be constantly drained.
I don't let the worries over take me. Usually they do but I don't allow it this time. Falling asleep a little less ease then when I was in her arms.
I carefully insert the needle in her wound. She's healed really quickly. An injury that would have taken months is taking less than a week. That's ridiculously impossible.
"How bad, doc? Am I adding another scar to my war stories?"
"Yes.. but it's healing fast. This whole bit.." I lightly tap a piece of her wound. "Is just about ready to have the stitches out."
"It's only been 4 days. That's impossible."
I unwrap my hand out of curiosity. Proven correctly that it's almost healed. It looks like I.. heal fast.
Her hand takes mine. It... makes my heart jump. Why? I dislike Taylor so highly.
"You're almost healed. I saw how deep that cut was. That's impossible."
I sigh heavily. "I'm definitely going to be a lab rat."
"What? No. I won't allow that."
"There's nothing you can do about it, hun. If it comes down to it, I'm okay with being drained. It means I get to play my part. I'll be able to help."
"I won't allow it, Stevie. You've gone through enough pain and misery. You're going to be free. You won't be tied down to a lab. I promise."
"Did you mean all those things you said?" Wondering if she remembers any of it now.
"When?"
"When I got you help."
"I was high off of blood loss. I don't remember anything I said."
"Okay." I feel slightly down.
"Sorry. Still blank."
"It's fine."
I climb out of the bed and clean up. Slightly dizzy from giving more blood. It's better than her dying. If I can save someone by living or dying, at least I was worth it.
"I did like waking up to holding you. That was definitely new."
I look to her. Slight red shows in her cheeks. She is.. pretty. I just am not ready for any type of feelings for her other than dislike. I do highly dislike her..
"Glad I could comfort, hun."
"Why do you call me that?"
"Hun?"
"Yeah."
"I don't really know. Reflex of the mind. If you're important in some way, hun is your nickname. Or if I just forget your name in general."
"Good to know."
"It's not your first time getting seriously injured, hm? You completely held up."
"No, not at all. I almost lost my life at least 6 times from injuries worse than this."
"I'm not the cure, Taylor. You could still be in danger."
"I know. I know. But those times were worse. Most were protecting the President when he came to remove troops from Iraq."
"You're not afraid to scar then?"
"No. They tell a story. Anyone with scars have the best stories and are beautiful for that."
If only you knew of mine. You'd be disgusted or.. or.. even take back those words.
"I'm sleepy.."
"Yeah. Rest. You need it."
"You need to lay down too. I can see the drain in you from just me alone."
I sigh. "Going to have to get use to the drain though. There's no way around being a testing subject, Taylor."
"I promise.. I'll protect.. you."
"Just rest."
She falls asleep fast. Good for her. She hardly slept when I first got here.
There's something seriously off with the robot. She might of hit her head when she forced the zombie against the wall. Either way, she's not herself.
I sigh heavily and curl up on the couch. I miss Bree. She was so easy to talk to but so hard to communicate with.
She wasn't a bad person. Not at first. I just miss her. And I hate that I was the one who ended her.
I thought she would have left me before. I thought she would have had the guts. Maybe she didn't because she knew that she was all I had.
I have nothing now. Nothing. Except for a fucking robot as a guardian and a lab director who could make my life hell in seconds.
What did I get myself into? Why did I have to live? If the fire would have just traveled downstairs..
Sleep finally kicks me out. My night terrors return as heavily as ever. About Bree. About my parents. About life.
Until I wake. I will suffer.
