Final Hours

Chapter Twenty Four

    I woke up feeling nauseous as I rolled my legs over the side of the bed. I went to stand but my legs collapsed beneath me as I hit the ground.
    "Woah!" Eric exclaimed pushing open the cracked door. "Chris!" He started sliding his hands under my arms to lift me up. "Christian get up here!" He yelled again helping me onto the bed.

     Chris pushed open the door hurriedly rushing into the room.
     "Jesus Christ Jennifer you're burning up!" Eric added sliding a pillow under my head.
     "What's going on?" Chris asked, moving next to me placing a hand against my forehead. He pulled his back in surprise feeling the heat.
      "Her arm! Check her arm!" Eric motioned as Chris lifted up my sleeve. "Damn it." He whispered under his breath scooting around Chris to move closer to my arm. I groaned as he touched around the side of the stitching.

     "I told you it was infected Jennifer." He placed his hand around the stitching which in comparison to my burning skin was freezing cold.
     "Sepsis..." Chris whispered thinking to himself while Eric examined my arm and rubbed his finger over the tiny red spot like rashes.
     "What?" Eric asked looking over at him and back at my arm. "The rash is spreading." He added pulling the collar of my shirt to the side revealing more red spot like rashes. I felt awful, dizzy and nauseous, and it felt impossible to speak or move.

     "My friend from high school...he got sepsis on a hunting trip." He responded looking up and grabbing my hand. I winced as he moved his hand up my arm.
     "Hey man be gentle." Eric said, placing a hand on Chris's. Chris lightened his touch, rubbing his finger back and forth over one of the rashes.
      "We need to make that pharmacy run now before she goes into shock." Chris said standing up.
      "What do we even grab...I have no experience with sepsis." He jumped up with him.

      "Penicillin...or Piperacillan." I muttered trying to keep my eyes open, but the glare from the lights was giving me a migraine.
      "They're prescriptions, we can find them behind the counter." Chris added with a smile before turning and walking out the door.

      Eric turned to face me and kneeled back down beside me placing his hand on my arm.
      "I'll go get Lana, she can watch you while we're gone." He smiled picking his hand up. I weakly smiled as he stood up and walked out of the room, I was worried about them. I didn't want them going out just for me when the town and city both weren't safe anymore.
      Lana walked through the door with a rag and bowl of water. She set the bowl on the nightstand and moved a chair over to the bed.
      "How are you feeling?" She asked quietly, her voice was nice. I'd never taken the time to just enjoy how sweet and melodic it was.
      "Awful." I groaned, turning to look at her. She looked me over remorsefully, picking up the rag she dipped it into the water and dabbed my head. It felt cool and nice which eased my headache.

    "Georgia's down there saying you've got the virus." Lana laughed sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she wet the towel again.
    "The what?" I asked, opening my eyes into a slit form. She looked at me confused before responding.
     "The virus...where those walkers come from." She started, taking a pause to set the rag in the bowl. "That's how she lost her husband, he was sick when they arrived."

     I looked over at her finally turning my head, but that felt like I exerted all of my energy.
     "He had the symptoms as you, but he had those red eyes...not bloodshot...red." She said as a shiver was sent down her spine.
      "We thought he fell asleep, Georgia was lucky Eric and Henry were in there with her son when he turned. Nearly lost the poor kid." She shook her head as she picked up the towel again.

     "Oh honey you're sweating like a pig." She said taking the dry end of the towel and rubbing all down my face. I felt the chills being sent down my spine as I uncontrollably shivered.

     "How in the world are you cold? You're burning up." She said trying to cool me off with the towel.
      "I...I don't know." I responded, my mind completely blank as I laid there. "I'm just...tired." I finally said feeling myself sinking into the bed. My limbs were heavy like bags of rocks and I felt my clothes becoming soaked with sweat.

      "Get some sleep sweetie, the boys will be back when you wake up." She smiled standing up, walking out of the room with the bowl. I dropped my eyelids and melted into the pillow as I fell asleep, painful and miserable sleep.