Apocalypse

26

Kate

I'm having mixed feelings about today so far.

Liz had just... Kissed me. I hadn't seen it coming. It was fast and uncertain, and she'd pulled back before I'd even had a chance to realize what was happening. It was... disappointing, to say the least. I'm not sure if I have another word for what I'm feeling.

But I don't have a whole lot of time to think about it right now because I'm busy trying to navigate the only vaguely familiar hallways while a small pack of Infected are gaining on us. I shouldn't be letting myself be distracted by what she tasted like or how my heart had pulled off a whole new trick. Not while we're stuck in this god forsaken place, risking our lives just to get out and to safety.

Hence the mixed feelings about today.

"How much farther?" I hear Liz gasp behind me.

I glance over my shoulder to see how she's doing. She's tired and terrified, and she just keeps letting me lead and goes without any complaint. She's very strong. When I met her, I don't think I would have ever expected her to come this far, to be alive at all. I feel a rush of affection for her. I'd smile if I didn't feel completely terrified. But I do. So I grunt instead of answering properly and look forward again in time to narrowly avoid crashing into a supply cart full of different medical tools. The sight of a few of them trigger unpleasant memories, and they flash through my mind. I get lost inside the swirling vortex inside my head for just a moment. Remembering all the terrible things that just a single pair of surgical scissors had done to me, or a scalpel, and various other tools. Flashes of memory that are very unwelcome. So much for not getting distracted.

"Kate!" Liz yells at me, snapping me back to reality just as I crash head on into an Infected, as I haven't really been paying attention to where I'm supposed to be going.

I breathe in sharply as it screams in my ear and a mixture of blood and spit spatter on my face. I grunt in pain as it slams me into a wall and claws at my face. My heartbeat sings in my ears as I try to force it off of me, just a touch too late.

I cry out as something sharp cuts into my leg painfully and look down in time to see another one that had already been there, laying on the floor. It's teeth sunk deep into my thigh. Bloody hands grabbing at my pant leg in an effort to get itself to it's feet.
Liz suddenly slams a tray -I think it's from the cart of supplies a little ways back- into the one that's biting me, trying to tear. It's a severely unpleasant sensation, and I highly recommend that you avoid it.
The force of the hit warps the tray out of shape pretty badly, but effectively kills the Infected for good. I force the other one off of me and grab the now bent tray from Liz and slam it into the Infected's head as hard as I can. My breath coming in uneven gasps. It's growling is cut short as I hear a sick snapping noise. It's neck.

It crumples to the floor.

Liz stares at it, wide eyed. I can see that she's trying to process what just happened. Shaking a little. I'm not sure what happened to the ones that were following us a few moments ago, but they're not there anymore. I have to assume that they found something easier to chase. Or at least, I have to hope.

I wince and look down at the tear in my leg. It's deep but it's not bleeding too badly. I can see the edges of the wound through the tear in my previously white pants. It's jagged and red and I just know it's going to leave a nasty scar. As if I don't have enough of those already.This is going to make running a little difficult too. I take a deep breath and attempt to put weight on it. Pain shoots up into my hip and down my calf, so I quickly take the off pressure. But it can bear my weight, which is going to have to be good enough. I grit my teeth against the throbbing discomfort. Just my luck.