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"That's how it happened." Jace muttered. Eloise furrowed her brows, taking a slow step to Jace. "That's how what happened, J?"
The Park boy looked up at Eloise, letting out an airy and weak chuckle before slowly lifting up his shirt, revealing a dark bite mark.
"I got bit." Jace whispered, his voice cracking as he looked up at the group.
...
Eloise stared at her best friend in shock, feeling a lump go up from her stomach, into her throat as she slowly fell to her knees in front of him. "When did... How..." Eloise whispered, slowly looking up at Jace who just looked at her tiredly as if he hadn't slept in days.
"It's all right, Ellie. It's gotta be. I didn't even think I was gonna make it through the night... I made these." Jace muttered, slowly pulling out a stack of letters from his bag. "In case, you know... I wanted to make sure I was able to say goodbye."
Jasper looked at the boy he had watched grow up with a heartbroken look. "What happened?" Jace looked up at Jasper and sighed.
"I got bit. We were bringing someone back. His name's Siddiq." Jace said, tilting his head to the man they had saved before looking back to Jasper. "We saw him at that gas station, before... It wasn't the saviors. It just happened." Jace took a deep breath as his face dropped, almost as if it had finally set in, he turned to Eloise and Jasper with a heartbroken look. "I got bit."
Jace groaned, his hand going to his back in pain and Jasper quickly looked around to Eloise and Carl. "Let's lay him down."
The two teens nodded, them and Jasper each grabbing Jace carefully, putting him in a lying position.
Once he was fully down, Carl looked at him worriedly. "Is that better?" Jace slowly looked up at Carl and nodded. "Yeah... Thanks."
Siddiq cleared his throat, scooting over to the group. "I um... I got these. They're over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. They'll, um -- they'll help a little with the fever. They did for my mom and dad. Please take them." He looked down at Jace sadly before looking back up at Eloise and Jasper. "This kid... He should have them."
"You're a doctor?" Rick asked, standing behind them. Siddiq looked up at him and nodded. "I was a resident... Before. Yeah." Rick nodded, looking down. "Your name is Siddiq?"
"Yes." The man answered, making Jasper sigh, turning to look at the three teens. "Did you guys know he was a doctor? Is that why you brought him back?"
Jace let out a weak cough, making everyone turn to him as he shook his head. "He wasn't gonna make it alone. He needed us. That's why."
Rick felt his heart drop as he looked to the boy, shaking his head, hoping what he was thinking wasn't true. "He was the one at the gas station." Carl slowly looked up at his dad, nodding his head.
