Dead.

Chapter Three

The gates opened and they pulled up.

"Francis, take him up to the infirmary. I'll be there in two minutes." Cass said to him. She was no leader and nor could she give out orders but when it came to anything medical, people listened to her. She wasn't a miracle worker, but she was the best this place had and she was working with very limited resources. She climbed out the car and Jay stopped her with a hand to her arm.

"Will you need any help?" He asked her and she paused for a moment, usually she would shoo away any concerns but there was something unsettling about all of this.

"I'd appreciate it." She said to him and Jay gave her a grin and a nod, helping her with her bags as they both headed back to the infirmary. Francis was hovering like a worried mother and Cass knew that wouldn't help anyone.

"I'll send Jay to get you. Let us get him settled." She explained and Francis scuffed his feet, he looked utterly torn between what to do but eventually, he relinquished to Cass and shuffled out. Francis was no use to anyone worrying and he would be too invested to be calm through this.

"Strip him." She said to Jay as her fingers started on his remaining clothing. He was bruised horribly; his limbs were half frozen but there was no bite mark or scratch. He looked like he had been beaten to a pulp by something.

"Greg, stay with us buddy." Jay encouraged and Cass looked him over. He was rough and he would need a few days of rest and hydration before he would be up for anything.

"It can wait until morning." Cass said to Jay with a knowing look. Everyone had questions but they would need to wait until Greg could even form a sentence. They changed him into warm clothes and Cass pulled a blanket over him. She brought water to his lips where he drank greedily and then he stilled, asleep.

"What did you think?" Jay asked as they both sat at one of the tables and she breathed out.

"He might get an infection; he needs rest and water." Cass murmured to him, unsure of how to properly process any of this information. They were being watched, targeted even and it wasn't something unusual, survivors fought over scraps but this was different.

"D'ya think this has anything to do with the tongue thing, the other day?" Jay asked her and Cass paused. If it was connected then that meant they were at risk within the walls from an outside threat.

"Maybe, better to wait until that's definite." She pointed out. It would still need to be reported to the head guys but Cass's job was done right then, she needed to look after her patients. She looked to Greg and motioned for Jay to give her a hand rather than standing around looking somewhat useless. She gently peeled back his shirt and took it off, ignoring the groans of protest at the pain as she got a basin of clean water and dripped some alcohol into the basin along with it. Makeshift disinfectant but it would only stretch so far. She pulled a blanket to his lower half and covered him adequately, looking him over. Gentle dabs over the assaulted area and thankfully, Greg seemed completely out of it and didn't seem to recognise the sting that would be present by such an action. Cass eventually let him rest and she would do what she could to keep him drinking. He could say his own piece when he was able.

"Coffee?" Jay offered and Cass looked to him, nodding. Thankfully, coffee didn't really spoil and enough scavenger trips had brought back granules of the liquid energy to keep people going. It wasn't an essential, more like a small memory of home, an echo of what was. She was left in the silence of the makeshift infirmary, save for the ragged breathing of Greg as he tried to sleep but was more unconscious than resting. Cass checked him over, the level of disturbance in her stomach only deepened because there were more questions than answers. At least he was 'home' and somewhat safe.